


Primal Ambitions

by StakeTheHeart



Category: Victorious
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-03
Updated: 2015-04-03
Packaged: 2018-03-20 23:36:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 32,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3669378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StakeTheHeart/pseuds/StakeTheHeart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Growing up is a long journey all on it's own but throw in not so normal obstacles and it just gets worse. A girl fights to remain untainted by her lifestyle and another fights to show her that even though things may seem bleak there is always someone who cares.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. D H

Dr. Gabriel West strode through the aisles of his elaborate laboratory located under his business in the heart of New Jersey. He stopped at a few stations to check on progress before continuing on to the lower levels down an out of the way flight of stairs. Here was where the much stronger test subjects were held and tested on. One in particular he was the most interested in. His extensive work in dimensional travel between worlds landed him with an opportunity of a lifetime. He instantly became popular in the coliseum underground where owners of varying animals fought for money. It was a hobby he loved to compete in on the side and he often won due to his experimental creatures. He became the leading champion after his grand discovery thanks to a certain creature humanity had only dreamed of having; a dragon. In his travels through dimensions he found a land of mostly forests and jungles with a huge ocean taking up a good portion of it.

Across this land were things only seen in dreams and fairy tales. The authors of such works must have had a clue to this secret world somehow because they had gotten it right. Dragons, elves, fairies and the like were real and he had caught one; a dragon that is. After he had taken a trip into the strange world with his strongest bodyguards they quickly met the elves who sought and trained the many dragon types as steeds. A curious, strong, and wise elf who often went off on his own helped Gabriel catch one of the scaled beasts he had been hunting for days. With the technology humans possessed it wasn't too hard. The elf wielded magic that allowed him to speak the same tongue as his new human acquaintance. He told Gabriel that the dragon they had brought back was a rare albino with deep verdant eyes. Gabriel stared into the eyes with his own blue eyed gaze and watched as the pupils turned to slits in the dim lighting of its new home.

With the knowledge of the elf, who introduced himself as Kessler and was more than eager to travel back with them, they kept the dragon contained. Multiple experiments, and an odd yet very intelligent mind, yielded the ultimate fighting champion. The combination of human and dragon by mixing the DNA together created a hybrid that easily minced the competition. It was a sight no one had ever witnessed before. Money came pouring in, bringing with it new opportunities to strengthen such creatures that unfortunately had a relatively short lifespan. When spliced they were wild and hard to tame with a lifespan of a mere ten years. Creating two was too much already and Gabriel only had so long to live even though he had taken the business from his father at the young age of twenty-five. The constant creations would be a bother and wouldn't be worth the extra work. There had to be another way, and there was.

"Why just splice two species when one could be birthed by two species?" Kessler wondered thoughtfully out loud. Gabriel overheard his musings during his many note taking brainstorms. He immediately made plans to inseminate the apparently female dragon they had captured, the gender discovered courtesy of Kessler. The elf believed it was quite possible since the magic in the dragon's blood seemed to be very versatile outside the world it belonged.

"I have always wanted to try this but the others would not agree to help as it was not natural," the elf explained. He had been on his way to crossbreeding creatures himself when Gabriel came along. Now was the best time. Gabriel volunteered his own seed to make the process work as he wanted it to be  **his**  child and  **his**  creation.

"Dragons have only one egg at a time. It takes time to be lain and then a few more days to hatch. With my knowledge of the dragon's anatomy, I believe we may be able to come up with something," Kessler suggested. They compared ideas and came up with a process which was done by horse handlers when they wanted to breed their prized horses. They didn't want her to meet with the stallion to complete the process as it could cause her damage so they inseminated her by taking the seed of the male and putting it in her with no contact from the male whatsoever. They copied the technique, and ten months later, they gained the egg they were waiting for. The mother fought tooth and nail to keep everyone away once it was lain. She was far fiercer than when she was only fighting for herself so they let her be, instead, watching as she tended to the egg. They made sure to procure the rocks from the world she came from so that the high heat of her flames would not destroy the rocks she would need to make her nest.

It created an incubation system for the egg once she heated them up. She turned her egg every now and then and watched it constantly without fail, not even eating much in order to keep an eye on it. Gabriel added to his already long notes on the beast as he observed. Kessler offered up knowledge too, as he had been doing since the beginning. The whole crew waited with bated breath for the egg to finally hatch. It wasn't until a week later, in the middle of the night, when Gabriel got the alert that the egg was beginning to crack. He rushed to the lab and burst in the door just in time to see the mother dragon help make an opening for her offspring that understandably had no means of getting out as it looked just like a human baby. Somehow the mother understood this helplessness because she went on to clean the baby carefully with her long purple forked tongue and then curled close to give the needed heat to keep the baby warm. Kessler turned to Gabriel with a triumphant smile.

"What will you name her?" he asked the excited scientist. He had made history as well as a new species. He needed a name that was both symbolic as well as feared. Something cold and hard, strong, that would make him proud.

"Jade. Her name is Jade West," he replied finally, staring into the vivid green eyes of the huge scaled dragon tending to her baby. The elf nodded and then left to make plans to remove the child once the mother was sufficiently restrained. They struck after both had fallen asleep, tranquilizing the mother for extra effect. The child seemed ordinary, but when they entered to retrieve her they found that the white scales that covered the dragon made small and almost unnoticeable patterns on the baby's skin, making her sturdier than the soft skin of a human. Her minimal pitch black hair stood out from her pale skin, and when Gabriel lifted her in his arms, she felt heavier, denser, and was easily the size of a month old baby.

She began to squirm in his hold and then let out an upset wail when he removed her from the warmth radiating from the dragon's body. Her swinging fists held strength behind the blows she dealt his chest and a peek in her mouth showed that she also had a miniature sized purple tongue just like her mother. Gabriel stepped out of the enclosure just as the mother finally awoke from her forced slumber. She flung off the ones holding her tied down and roared in fury. Green fire spurted from her mouth but dissipated under the spells the elf had cast around her cage, the same kind keeping her from breaking out. Gabriel glanced down at the crying child in his arms, mesmerized by her. She seemed to be getting cold so he accepted the thick blanket Kessler handed him.

"If she is anything like a dragon fledgling you must keep her warm. As a babe she is prone to freezing far faster than a human. She is almost cold blooded in this state. Once the magic in her stabilizes her internal flame will keep her warm, but for now, you must as she is away from her mother. In heat be sure to keep her cool likewise," he advised, his soothing voice a great advisor during the whole process.

"Thank you, my friend. I will be sure to do that. We can't have our little girl uncomfortable now can we?" Gabriel replied, tapping the child on the nose. The elf smirked and shook his head. Gabriel had told him he started this to gain a fighter, particularly betting on a male. Now that he had his hybrid, only to find it was a female, Kessler quickly deduced that Gabriel had fallen prey to the typical father-daughter dynamic the elf had witnessed back in his own home world and no doubt the same here. It was time to leave the new father to his own devices.

"I will be returning to my world now. I am eager to apply what I have learned here with my own people. You have learned all you can from me and do not forget I have left you with my notes on dragons as well as set up the seals, not only on the mother's cage, but also on the room she is in. The rest is up to you. I hope the choice you have made is a good one," he stated, dipping into a bow that made his tall frame bend gracefully. Gabriel nodded and held the child closer to him.

"I have," he responded confidently. The elf gazed at him a long time, then at the little hybrid in his arms, and then left. He disappeared in the swirling vortex of the machine that allowed them to travel through dimensions. As soon as he was gone it began to glow and heat up.

"What the-" Gabriel muttered before he ran far from the malfunctioning machine. It exploded a moment later, the table full of blueprints and notes nearby catching fire with it.

"No. No, no, no, no! That was all the information for the machine!" he cried out. Personnel scurried to put out the flames and one returned to hand him a singed paper. He read through the note once and then clenched it tight in his grip.

"That sly elf. He didn't want me to return to his world. Why did he even bother helping me then? What'll he do with the knowledge he learned here?" he whispered to himself. As the chaos around him began to simmer down, his attention was instantly drawn to the pair of eyes that just now deemed him worthy to see. His daughter, strange but true, looked up at him with such intelligence it made his breath catch.

"You'll be great, Jade. I'll make sure you are," he vowed. She remained quiet but he swore he saw a gleam in her eyes that resembled a smirk gracing her pale features.

* * *

Many years passed while Gabriel juggled raising his hybrid child as well as rebuilding the machine and occasionally entering in the fight club. That money was the only thing keeping them going as the machine was still very hard to remake without much of the data surviving. The computers all held no trace of data and Gabriel knew it was all the cunning elf's fault. He was content enough to put most of his time in Jade who soaked up any and all knowledge like a sponge. By human standards she began talking, reading, and writing early. She grew at a slightly faster pace and was stronger than any kid her age.

Gabriel allowed her to follow him wherever he went as he wanted to keep a constant watch on her growth as well as let her learn on her own. She did that and more. Once she was bored of what the laboratory had to offer by the age of five he agreed to enroll her in school. The new lab assistant that had begun taking an interest in Jade made him take an interest in her too. They grew close, and with her advice, he agreed to put Jade in school so that she could learn how to socialize. Never mind the fact that she was burping flames and eating meat when she was only a year old, but now she was much older and could unintentionally reveal that she wasn't…normal. He worried for her, but Jade herself set him straight on the matter.

"Jade, how would you like to attend school with other kids your age?" he asked her one day while they sat at dinner. Her clear blue-green eyes flashed with excitement and she grinned, showing off perfectly straight pearly teeth.

"Oh yes, I would love to!" she exclaimed happily. Gabriel laughed and figured it wouldn't hurt to try and see what would become of letting her go. So, by the time classes began for that year he enrolled Jade in Kindergarten. She took to being in public well. She seemed to understand right away what was acceptable and what wasn't, whether it was actions, words, or even her own appearance. She kept her secret flawlessly while learning what it meant to live a human life, albeit slightly different than others. By the time she moved on to the summer of the start of her junior high years she was settled in and felt like she belonged. She was smart, popular, charismatic, and the favorite of almost everyone she met. That all went down the drain the morning she woke up in pain that kept getting worse. She understood that it was another growth spurt that was unique to her, but it came with unwelcome additions. A thin yet powerful white tail protruded from her spine and her flat human teeth fell out to be replaced with sharp ones. The back molars remained yet the edges sharped slightly as well.

It was hard enough hiding her tongue and eyes when they turned into slits in anything less than bright light, but now she had a tail and teeth too. She ran into Gabriel's room, and one look at her frantic expression, made it obvious that she could no longer attend public school. She would have to be home schooled instead. She was disappointed, and had to make excuses that she was moving, which they did just in case, so that all the friends she made wouldn't question her. She said good-bye to that chapter of her life as easily as a young teen could; which wasn't easy at all. She had accepted what she could and couldn't have a long time ago and this was no different. Friends and socializing quickly became something she didn't care for when Gabriel decided to start training her on top of her studies. He had grown attached to her, and wasn't looking to go ahead with the plan, but now was the perfect time, when she still had another step in puberty to obtain, when she should start getting accustomed to the life she would have as a professional fighter.

After the laboratory and smaller replica was finished being moved to the bustling city of Los Angeles, and the now three person family moved with it, it was time to go forward with the plan again. Elena, the assistant Gabriel met all those years ago, became Jade's mother figure, which was expected since she and Gabriel began dating. There wasn't much Gabriel could hide from Jade's perspicacious nature so he opted to tell her outright with most things. Now that she had to start training, something she immediately questioned, he found himself twisting words to keep her from suspicion. Elena didn't like it, but understood. The income was starting to plummet with the amount of money used on parts for the machine as well as experiments that went into recent fights. Gabriel simply told the young hybrid she would be training for a sport. When she asked he told her it was a variation of fighting styles. Something within her marveled at the idea and she agreed to make her father happy once more.

She was eager to prove her worth and took down the most seasoned fighters the older she became. By sixteen she was almost a fighting machine that Gabriel was more than proud of. She retained her caring nature through Elena who eventually married Gabriel. That one trait was something Gabriel wasn't sure would help once Jade had to enter more serious fights. He wanted to talk to Elena about it but resolved to take Jade to a match without her knowledge. He knew she would come out on top without a doubt. She was her daddy's little girl her whole life and her prowess when fighting did more than show she was capable of taking care of herself. It showed the honest obedience and need to make him happy. When they arrived, Gabriel got out of the car and Jade followed, dressed in her fighting gear but donning a robe to hide her tail which she learned to hold in a curl so that it stayed off the floor and out of sight. That alone strengthened it and she liked to try and use it as much as possible until it was prehensile. Her hands were wrapped, her hand and toe nails grown out for the occasion, making them sharp but not as sharp as her teeth which could crush bone with the power of her jaws. She squinted her sensitive eyes against the sun and held her nose to the air.

Her scales gleamed in the light but were barely noticeable, a skin condition she had lied about her whole life. The bigger scales that were practically armor ran down her back and sides while the outside of her legs were covered in medium sized scales and the smaller ones appeared down the side of her jaw, along her arms down to the back of her hands, the flat of her stomach, the inside of her legs, and along the top of her feet. Her tail was the only part of her that was fully scaled. She sighed, expelling the air she had processed. There was a hint of blood among other things in the air. She wondered what her father was up to, but trusted him completely, so she stayed quiet and followed him inside the unmarked building. They entered the dim atmosphere and Jade cringed. It reeked of sweat, dirt, decay, and blood. It was rowdy and loud, grating on her sensitive ears. She lifted her lip in disgust when a man walked by, his lewd gaze taking her in like she was something to eat. She snarled at him and he scurried away without another look back. She scanned the rest of the large room, noticing the almost floor to ceiling cage in the very middle. She was too busy wondering why the hell she was here when Gabriel gripped her shoulder.

"Come one Jade, you're room is over here," he said in her ear, voice just right for her hearing. He guided her to a back room where her name was printed in gold across the door.

"Why do I even have a room here?" she questioned him curiously and a little on edge. He looked at her with an expression that she couldn't decipher. He sighed, closed the door to cut out the noise, and then gestured for her to take a seat on one of the luxurious couches. She plopped down with her gaze remaining on him steadily. Silence held until he cleared his throat, preparing to give her a proper yet not all revealing explanation.

"Jade, it's time you understand the other half of my job. I'm a scientist, but what I'm making is taking too long and using up too much money. In order to combat that I make fighters to compete in these games," he began evenly. Jade took this in and easily came to a conclusion.

"You've been training me for this all along," she stated knowingly.

"Yes," he replied with a nod, unable to lie to her outright.

"I get it. I really do. This is what you always sneak out for. This is why Elena gives you 'The Look'. I understand that it isn't something she approves of but, but what I don't get is why you never told me. Did you think I couldn't handle it? Did you think I would turn you away?" she wondered aloud. She never wanted to disappoint her father.

"No, it isn't that. Jade-" he began but she shook her head.

"Look, you're my father, and if this is what you want me to do, I'll do it. For us," she replied resolutely. She gave him a mirrored image of his own sly smirk and he smiled, throwing an arm over her shoulder with a chuckle. She was as loyal as ever, most likely the dragon in her, but she was also a West, a trait she always made apparent through her personality and the way she handled things.

"Let's go win some rounds then, eh?" he suggested. She cracked her knuckles and let her tail swing in excitement.

"Yeah, let's do it," she agreed. He nodded and left to see what she would be up against for the first round but went with a heavy heart. These were the big leagues. Even the smaller class creatures here were dangerous. He knew without a doubt that she would win, but there was that small percentage that remained if she lost. It was a match to the death, and if she refused to kill then she would most likely be killed herself. He worried for her but couldn't back out now. Her adolescent state of mind may be smarter than average for a human, but she was still so innocent. Through all the tests he put her through she hadn't grasped one thing that he had, she was a powerful being that could kill mercilessly. She was just too young and naïve to see it. He would regret stripping her of that in order for her to fight, but it had to be done.

He stopped by the booth where the fighters were being paired and found Jade's opponent, a recreation of a saber toothed tiger. Gabriel ran the statistics through his head as he made his way back to Jade. As he knew he would, he concluded that she would be more than fine as long as she defended herself well and fought back. Jade looked up from her upside down perch on the pull-up bar when he came in. The small gym in the corner was already proving useful, although it looked like she already broke a few of the equipment. She was too strong for human wares. It improved his mood slightly. Jade unhooked her legs and then uncurled her tail from the pole so that she was lowered to the floor where she smoothly transitioned into a hand stand to flip back on her feet and into a crouch. Flexibility and agility were also a great asset in a fight, he noted.

"So, who's my opponent?" she questioned, standing to walk over to him. She had taken off her robe, displaying her wiry but toned physique and more of her scales. Gabriel scratched his chin and then nonchalantly shrugged.

"It isn't 'who', Jade, but 'what'," he corrected, waiting for her to realize what he meant. Jade was told as soon as she could understand, which was fairly early and around the time she took an interest in the lab, what she was and how she came to be. It was this that allowed her to accept all the unique changes while growing up. She also saw the many creatures Gabriel and his team created as well as the creatures that were no more than crude lizard people compared to her more naturally born perfection. He knew she would understand without further explanation, and in a matter of seconds, she caught on.

"I'm fighting creatures? But, but how do they determine the winner then?" she inquired. Gabriel grimaced and stared at her until she came up with the answer to that too.

"Father…I-I don't think I can do that. I don't want to hurt anyone or anything," she told him truthfully. Gabriel knew this the few times her strength got out of hand with excitement and she sent her fighting partner to the hospital. She felt so torn up over it she hadn't picked up training for a week. Even then it was hard to get her back into the routine. She began to pace, the bottom of her rough feet padding against the carpet underfoot.

"I know, but you must. It's for us, right?" he reminded her, stepping forward to grip her shoulders and stop her. He knew it was wrong to play on family, but it would always come first for her and he knew that. She locked eyes with him, her enchanting orbs shifting from worry and reluctance to calm and determined.

"Yeah, it's for us," she repeated to reason away the doubt. He smiled proudly and patted her back in encouragement just as the door opened and a crew member poked his head in.

"You're on," he told them, stopping to take in Jade's unique form before hurriedly shutting the door.

"Ok Jade, remember, fight for us. I know you can do it," Gabriel told her. She nodded and he led her out of the room after she pulled her robe back on. They went down the hall to take the path between the crowded bleachers and up to the arena. Jade stopped at the doorway to the cage and gripped Gabriel by the arm.

"If I do this…can I see Mother?" she requested, her voice slightly uncertain. He had not let her see her real mother since she had hatched. He feared the dragon would get too worked up to handle and break free somehow, or maybe they wouldn't get along, but in this moment Gabriel realized that she was going to do something she was clearly uncomfortable with so he figured it would only be fair to let her.

"Yes," he answered simply. Jade grinned, revealing her sharp teeth, and then yanked off her robe. She passed it to him, her sea green crystal-like eyes appraising him once more. She must have seen how honest he was because she turned away satisfied and ready to fight. She stepped into the cage and the door shut with a feeling of finality. It made her tail sway with caution as she crouched slightly. On the far side of the arena a solid metal box with a slide away panel was latched on the opening it matched up to. The panel was removed and out came a big tan colored cat that slunk into the arena. It's massively long fangs were pointed and amber eyes instantly locked on her with a killer intent. She hesitated only slightly, taking a step back, but froze when the cat snarled at her. What were they thinking? She couldn't do this! She had only ever fought people. It was clear with the way she stood poised to throw a punch.

She heard the crowd disapprove of her and make claims that she wouldn't survive. It unnerved her out a little but boosted her determination by the offense it caused. She gritted her teeth and looked back at her opponent which hadn't moved a muscle. Its fur was sleek but her sharp gaze could still detect the scars and old wounds all over its body. It was a survivor of many battles. She shifted a little forward to test its reaction. It began to slowly circle her, hackles raised and lips lifting in a low growl she pinpointed over the roaring crowd. The loud sound unnerved her but she refused to lose focus. She primed her hearing to block out the distraction as she focused on the big cat. It was making its way closer as it circled, she noted, so she was ready when it suddenly moved lightning quick to pounce at her. She rolled out of the way and jumped back from its swinging claws but it leaped forward again and tackled her to the ground.

She struggled with keeping it back but the large paws quickly tore into her arms, disrupting the smooth pattern of her scales and drawing blood. She gasped in intense pain and threw the cat off instinctively. It slammed into the bars of the cage harshly, jarring it enough that it took some time getting up. The crowd was going wild again, chanting for her to rush the downed cat. She looked to Gabriel to see him anxiously watching her. He nodded to her and she nodded back. She raced forward and jabbed into the feline's side with her knee. It screeched and swatted at her but she dodged and landed a palmed jab to the side of its jaw next. It forced the teeth away from her and stunned the big cat so that she could get close enough to lock it in a chokehold. She regulated the pressure she exerted just enough to get the squirming cat to pass out. She dropped the big body to the ground and was shocked to hear the crowd scream for her to kill it.

"No! No, wait! She'll do it!" she heard Gabriel shout suddenly. She turned just in time to get a club to the face. She screamed in pain and stumbled, trying to right herself and shake away the ringing in her ears.

"Jade, watch out!" Gabriel shouted next. Jade lifted her arm just in time to block another blow which made her already damaged skin burn. She hissed, making the man back away. It was then she saw the reflection of herself in his shades. Her eyes were slits and her teeth were bared. Her tail thrashed in irritation and her hands were held in a way that suggested she would use them as claws. She relaxed and stepped away from the man apologetically. He saw that she had calmed and lashed out at her again, but this time, he hit her in the side. She fell to the ground and groaned, clutching at the injury. She hadn't hurt him so why was she being punished? She didn't understand.

"They won't stop unless you fight. Get up, Jade! Get up and fight!" she heard Gabriel yell to her from a closer vantage point. She shook her head, refusing to go on. She had won. They should just let her go because she wasn't going to kill. She couldn't. She received a strike to her side with a booted foot. She sensed another and lashed out defensively to smack it away before it could do anymore damage. Now, she was tired of fighting, and she would make him see that. She shot to her feet and snarled at the now cowering man. Heat rose deep within her, causing her breath to come out hot. She spat out a small jet of flame that singed the man who ran out screaming.

She hadn't been able to produce fire since she was little and did it on accident, but now she could feel a certain amount of control over the green flames she inherited. She snickered and turned around only to be met with angry amber eyes. She was only able to gasp before the heavy paw marked her stomach with four long gashes. She cried out as she was tossed aside from the blow. She caught herself from falling over again after picking herself up and rushed to dodge the now pissed off cat. She dodged her way around each attack, unwilling to attack back, but a particular dodge sent the cat careening into the side of the cage where Gabriel stood. The cat hissed and swatted at him, barely missing but still inciting the furious heat that returned to Jade. No one hurt her family.

"Hey!" she screamed. It turned on her and pounced, but she had jumped at it too. They collided in midair, and Jade forced it back to slam its heavy body into the ground. Her nails dug into the thick fur, and before she was aware of her actions, her teeth went for its neck. The cat fought the best it could and finally kicked her off, but the damage was done. She tore into the jugular of the creature and it was quickly bleeding out. Jade watched as it fell to the ground and its eyes dulled. Sadness seeped into her but a buzzer alerted her to more danger. She underwent two more battles without delay, but this time she stowed away any emotions and entered the fight on all fours. She killed the bear type creature by strangulation with her tail and broke the neck of the last opponent that seemed to be a type of boar creature. She stood as the victor over the deceased animals with tears in her eyes and shame in her heart.

It was for her family, but she couldn't ignore how horrible she felt for ending multiple lives. After the victory fanfare, award, and money was dealt out she was allowed to get cleaned and patched up before heading out. Gabriel tried to talk to her or congratulate her but she was mute and steadfast in remaining that way, so he sighed and left her alone. When they arrived at home she went straight to her room and didn't come out for almost three weeks. Elena was fuming mad when she found out and managed to coax Jade out to dinner, but it took hours to do so. Thoughts, questions, and worrying ran rampant in Jade's head. They didn't quiet until Gabriel came to take her to see her Mother. Gabriel stopped at the door located under their home in the small replica la, but he didn't enter. Instead, he looked at her and waited for her to go in. It was best if she had time alone, and he was certain the dragon would not harm Jade.

She looked at him once more and then opened the door to step inside. She shut it quietly and turned to face the huge white dragon that was indeed her Mother. So much of herself reflected in the mighty beast's body that it brought tears to her eyes. The warmth that permeated the room spoke to something within her and she was surprised when she realized she had been making a rumbling sound that almost resembled purring. The dragon returned the noise, but louder, as it uncurled from the corner and made its way closer. Chains that gave off a strange energy bound the neck and legs but she was still able to move freely. Now that Jade recognized the weird buzz of the room, she concluded that it must have held the same restraining power. She was brought back to the situation when a slick purple tongue licked at a cut on her cheek lovingly. She closed her eyes as the dragon curled around her and sat down to tend to her child's wounds.

Jade happily unwrapped the bandages and let her work, silently watching and enjoying the attention. She left a trail of numbing relief that worked better than any medicine she was treated with and her cuts thinned to almost close. The dragon huffed out what seemed to be a disapproving sound and then laid her head down next to Jade. She leaned on her hand and looked into the clear green eyes. A connection of sorts was made when she reached over to rest her hand on the ridge over the eye then slide her hand down the sleek neck. It felt like a snake's skin, smoothly unblemished and beautiful unlike her own currently torn scales. She sighed and let herself rest against the dragon's side where the warmth intensified and she felt nothing but safety. She had never felt so loved or so complete as she did now. A sob fell from her lips and she tucked her face into the comforting dragon's side to let the tears fall. Jade didn't know why she was crying, but it felt good.

"I'm sorry I let them keep me from you, Mother. I won't let it happen again. I'll visit you when I can. I love you," she whispered, knowing the dragon understood her words as easily as she could feel her Mother's emotions flowing through her to mix with her own. She stood up and embraced the head that lifted to nuzzle at her one last time. She rested her forehead on the bridge of the snout and sniffled, then released the dragon to run from the room. Gabriel was jolted from his notes at the wide desk outside when Jade rushed from the room and blew right past him. He stood to push the door closed when he heard a morose wail-like sound from within. He closed his eyes and sighed.

"I know. I'm sorry," he admitted, shutting the door and locking it. He returned home to a concerned wife and emotionally drained daughter who didn't want to talk. He couldn't help but think that this was only the beginning of a very long fight, one that would ultimately decide on the kind of person Jade would be for the rest of her life.


	2. R Y

Jade threw her bloody towel aside and headed for the showers. Gabriel had cleared out a portion of the small replica lab to accommodate to her training which had been bumped up in difficulty ever since that first fight. Her body only enhanced as she grew closer to her full form. She was eighteen now, advanced in all subjects, fluent in four other languages, and had a knack for sneaking out and exploring the human world she was denied and then lost interest in since she was pulled from school. With jeans, a long sleeved shirt, her boots, and a long trench coat, she was able to keep her unique form hidden. If she kept her hair down, the wavy black locks would curl at her jaw and cover most of the light spattering of scales there. Gloves covered the scales running along her hands. From these impromptu adventures she learned that people could be unholy assholes as well as the greatest people to be around. She learned that alcohol was horrible and so was pretty much everything people thought was worth losing their heads over. It was nothing but a waste of time to her.

The one thing she couldn't understand was the way men and women courted one another. She was severely out of the human world loop and never did much that ranged outside of academics at home so luxuries like movies and novels and the like that told of flirting and romance were lost on her. She lacked that type of education most girls her age found on their own. She would sometimes watch with a critical eye and scientifically muse at the actions between those interested in each other. She was curious about it but found it strangely odd. Sure she had been, what someone termed 'hit on', many times but she still wasn't comfortable with human contact to test out what all of that entailed. Plus, how would she ever be able to be that close to someone with what she was? Because of her hesitation, she always returned to the safety of her home where she wrapped herself in her blankets and thought about everything she learned that night until falling asleep. Jade didn't consider herself an anti-social or even cold individual, but she was a hardened fighter who was just content with family.

Frequent talks with the insightful Elena and spending time with her Mother still gave her a type of humanity no one but the two mothers, and sometimes Gabriel, saw in her. It was hidden very well to avoid seeming vulnerable but it was still very much present in the choices she made. Jade finished cleaning up from her practice fights with the things Gabriel brewed up specifically for training, stopped by to sit with her Mother, and then arrived home in time for dinner. As always she ate efficiently and saved any talking for last. Elena and Gabriel understood her need for quiet until then so they sat down to chat afterwards as was the routine. Tomorrow would be a big fight against an opposing company that had begun to give Gabriel's company a hard time. The ringleader of that conniving business was David Vega who had been making waves earlier in the year with things Gabriel swore he had under wraps but Vega kept stealing somehow. He heard tell of a secret weapon that was making Vega almost as successful as himself in the underground.

The only difference was that his reign started over in Florida before he and his family moved to LA. Gabriel did everything he could to prepare Jade for the fight ahead as it would decide the championship for that year. It was the last major fight and Gabriel was worried that Jade was overworking herself. What he didn't know was that the more contact Jade had with her Mother, the more magic rubbed off on her and absorbed into her equally draconic skin, making her healing abilities more efficient. From what should have been done a long time ago as a baby, Jade was fulfilling now. She was gaining the unique durability all dragons had and it only made her stronger. The West household went to sleep early that night for the big day following. Elena had sometimes accompanied the two to fights but stayed away from major ones like this as she hated to see Jade receive injuries as well as witness her savagely deal them back with equal to more tenacity than was given. Now they waited to be called out with Jade lounging on her favorite couch while Gabriel paced restlessly.

"Chill out," Jade mumbled from under the wide hood of her green, blue, and white robe. Her tail swished lazily up into a curl and then relaxed against the cushions.

"How can you be so relaxed? I never liked the stories I've heard about Vega and here you are facing whatever it is he has planned. I don't like it one bit," he retorted. Jade rolled her eyes and Gabriel stopped to glare at her.

"Don't think I can't see you rolling your eyes under there," he scolded, nerves frazzled. Jade chuckled and sat up to flick the hood off her head.

"You know me so well father," she replied. He only glared at her carefree attitude. He wanted her to be serious. She had gotten by on this attitude many times before but now she needed to start strategizing. He had a bad feeling about this fight. Jade learned a long time ago that these fights weren't just to win but to ensure Gabriel had enough money to finally fix the machine that he promised he would use to release her Mother. As sad as she would be to see the majestic and loving dragon go, she felt it was best after being penned up in a room where she could barely walk and couldn't even fly. Wings were a novelty Jade wished she had, but alas, she didn't. She could only imagine how trapped it would feel not being able to stretch them. Her fights had been about family and honor but also the determination to set her Mother free. For that reason she couldn't lose.

"I'm sorry. I'll be serious. I understand. I'll start coming up with a game plan, ok?" she reassured him while she stood to head for the door.

"Where are you going?" he questioned.

"Out. I need some fresh air to think. I'll be back in time. I always am," Jade answered, hands in her pockets. She slid her sharp nails lightly over her palms as she walked. She hated them like this. She preferred when they were cut and filed to a rounded curve instead. She stepped out of the underground club after taking the stairs up to level ground. An ember of a match lit to her right but went out along with a curse. The dark of night was the only time the club was open and didn't particularly cater to the kindest of folks, so it made Jade curious to see a girl around her age outside, alone, trying to light a cigarette but failing when the wind kicked up.

"Dammit," she whined again, dropping the second to last match and stomping it into the dirt. She picked out the last one, held it in her slender fingers like she was readying herself, and then moved to light it when Jade waltzed up and plucked it from her hand.

"Hey!" she exclaimed, the cigarette in her mouth almost falling out. Jade ignored her, face stony, as she struck the match between her teeth and allowed a small ember of her own flame to light the spark she created, making it strong enough to endure the wind. She held out the match with one hand and blocked the wind unnecessarily with the other. The girl glanced at her before leaning forward to light her cigarette. Jade squeezed the flame from the match. Having a high tolerance to fire, she didn't worry about getting burnt.

"Neat, green flames. How did you learn that trick? Did you pocket my match with one of yours?" she inquired, not at all interested. Her tone was tired and slightly stressed. Jade shrugged, watching as she puffed away at the cancer stick. Her nose wrinkled at the smell and she had this unexplainable urge to stop the pretty girl from internally killing herself, so she grabbed it before it could return to her lips and crushed it in her hands, unconcerned when the attractive girl visibly tensed with anger.

"What the hell's your problem? That was my last one!" she complained, hands on her hips. Jade brushed away the remains of the cigarette from her hands and then nonchalantly leaned against the wall behind them.

"Good, maybe that'll make you stop," she answered evenly. The girl gave her a once-over, studying her from top to bottom, before replying.

"Why do you care?" she asked, her hostile tone smoothening out into a more naturally soft one.

"I'd hate to see a beautiful girl like you ruin a perfectly healthy body," Jade responded honestly, realizing late that her reply sounded an awful lot like flirting. She hadn't meant to but it just happened. Stupid adventures. The girl blushed, adding color to her tanned skin and prominent cheekbones. She brushed back her chestnut brown hair and stuttered a little before finally finding something to say.

"Oh, um, thank you," she said, making it sound almost like a question. Jade laughed at her uncertain behavior. It was cute to see her act this way instead of the slightly standoffish and defensive attitude she sported earlier. She had a feeling this was her true personality.

"No problem. Bad night?" she inquired with a raised brow. The girl nodded and leaned back to rest against the wall by Jade. She tucked back a strand of hair absently.

"Yeah, I don't usually smoke but it's a bad habit I picked up when things got rough. My father and sister are here betting on these stupid fights again. I wish they would stop. It's so dangerous and I'm always worried they'll fall into the wrong crowd and-I just don't want to lose them like I lost my mom," she confessed, gripping her left arm with her right hand. She seemed conflicted on the subject and Jade wondered if the fights had anything to do with her mother's death. Jade's frown darkened before she pushed off her resting spot. She raised a hand tentatively and then reached out to voluntarily pat the gloomy girl's shoulder. It was an odd and mechanical gesture but still taken gratefully by the girl who cracked a smile and lifted her own hand to place over Jade's cool one.

"Thanks. I didn't think a member of the opposing team would comfort a member of their enemy's team," she joked. Jade just shrugged and slipped her hand out from under the girl's incredibly soft, warm hand to brush back an escaping curl of her hair nervously. She was right. She was getting too comfortable.

"I gotta get going. Best of luck," she mumbled, turning away to head back inside. The girl watched her go, curiosity and a need to know the strange fighter nagging in the back of her head. Jade cursed to herself in German as she returned to her room. Another curse in Spanish left her mouth when she entered, and another in Russian when she looked up to see Gabriel was clearly unhappy with her.

"You're five minutes late. What do you have to say for yourself?" he demanded. Jade opted to answer in Italian, telling him that she could go back outside and waste the rest of the time or he could stop badgering her and let her enter the fight already. Gabriel smacked her arm playfully and scolded her lightly in Italian to hurry up. She smirked back and then hurried out to enter the arena. She stood on her side, contemplating the many, many times she was here. She tuned out the roaring crowd and tuned in to the cage that was surrounded in the magic that kept her super powerful attacks from bringing the house down so to speak. That reminded her of her Mother which in turn stoked the determination to win this latest fight.

"And here we have the champion all the way from Florida!" the announcer suddenly introduced. Jade looked up in time to see another fighter enter. She pushed off her hood and Jade was met with gold eyes bearing slit pupils. Dark brown cat ears of some sort tilted back in the universal sign that meant anger, and when she threw off her black robe, her dark brown tail that matched her hair and ears twitched angrily. Her fingers spread, and Jade's keen eyes took in the way her nails grew into claws. The cat girl hissed at her, two long fangs and a few sharp teeth at the bottom. Jade growled deeply in return, bearing her own pointed teeth, showing her opponent she wasn't intimidated. She was certain this girl was like her, a born hybrid. She could practically detect the strange out of place scent coming from her that Jade had never smelled anywhere else. She began to wonder how she came to be but the announcer declaring the fight had begun snapped her back into focus. She discarded her robe with a flourish that made the cat girl flinch but made Jade smirk.

"Did that scare the kitty?" she teased impudently. The cat girl grumbled an angry growl and took a step forward, only to cringe and look to her left. Jade followed her gaze to the crowd where an imposing man in a suit glared back at her. She must have done something wrong but she ignored it in favor of darting at Jade. She twisted out of the way and dodged a few more lightening quick swipes to launch herself on all fours under her opponent's outstretched arm, tackling her. She caught her around the middle and snapped at her neck but she scratched at Jade's side in retaliation, damaging scales but unable to draw blood. She looked momentarily shocked at the resilience she encountered but remedied it by going for the center of Jade's stomach. She was quick to adjust to situations but Jade was quicker. She pushed off the cat girl's shoulders into a flip over her head and landed on her feet that instantly launched her away from the flurry of attacks that began again now that her opponent was free. They circled each other, eyes searching for weak spots.

"What are you, some kind of disgusting reptile?" the girl questioned crudely. Jade smirked and flicked her tongue out at her, making her cringe.

"Why? Hate reptiles, kitty cat?" she responded with a condescending tilt of her head.

"Yes, especially you!" she snapped back, running at her. Jade ducked into a spin that swiped her opponent's feet out from under her with her tail. However, she landed easily on her hands and feet, her nimble reflexes catching her. She snagged Jade by the tail and slammed her into the bars. They vibrated and dazed her for a few seconds too long because claws skated across her back. They did minimal damage because her scales kept her protected once again but her own short nailed claws did more damage when they met the cat girl's leg. She screeched in fury and shoved Jade back to hit the bars again. Her hands created shackles to lock Jade onto the bars by the wrists. She was strong but Jade could feel her straining to hold her there.

She kneed Jade in the stomach three times in succession until her breath was knocked from her, then her fangs dug deep into Jade's shoulder. They pierced right through the medium scales curving halfway over her shoulder to her shoulder blade effortlessly to continue to dig into flesh and muscle below. It was her turn to let out a reptilian hiss, like an angry crocodile, deep and deadly. The smaller scales that were nothing more than scattered patches across her chest did nothing to stop the bottom row of teeth from slicing into her skin too. She struggled harder against her restraints, writhing in pain as the teeth dug repeatedly into muscle and scraped at bone every so often. A rough tongue irritated the wounds further, like sand in a cut.

"Get, off, you, fucking, feline!" Jade spat, tugging her hands free and yanking the cat girl off her by the back of the collar of her top. She tossed her aside to stumble away from the bars, a hand pressed to the profusely bleeding injury at her shoulder. Jade's long tongue licked what she could of the wound to numb it and then had no choice but to wait for it to begin to heal. By then the cat girl was back on her feet and charging, her bloody grin evidence of her belief that she was the winner. Jade wouldn't go down so easily though. She let out a fierce roar and then shot out a burst of green fire, scaring her opponent so bad she slipped and fell on her back. Jade only ever used fire as a distraction rather than a weapon as it was so hot it would melt most things.

"Holy shit!" her opponent cried out in shock. Jade took advantage and held her down. Her teeth bared to rip out her throat but powerful legs slammed into her gut, jarring her loose. Claws bore down on her again, cutting across her cheek before she caught one and twisted, breaking bone effortlessly. A yelp sounded in return but that didn't slow down her opponent at all. The other claw came back to land a blow to her jaw. That was too close for comfort to the lightly armored slope of her neck. Jade rolled them over in an attempt to get the upper hand but she was clawed off by sharp toenails which she retaliated with her own. Her tail whipped out to cut across her opponent's face, making her flinch.

Jade rushed to sink her teeth in the soft flesh of the cat girl's stomach, her sharp teeth slicing like a surgeon's blade. Blood ran messily down her chin as she prepared to pull back and end the fight, but the remaining capable claw gripped Jade by the neck, curving in to pierce skin slowly. Jade snarled, a warning that if she pushed any harder, Jade was going to rip her guts out. Their eyes locked, cold eyes meeting ruthless ones. Jade swiftly knocked the hand away with a sweep of her arm and her tail caught it to squeeze so tight that it gave in with a snap too, almost like breaking a twig, Jade mused. The cat girl cried out in pain again as her arm dropped uselessly. Jade pressed her down with both hands and opened her jaw to get a better mouthful of flesh to tear out but froze when she heard a pleading voice.

"Stop! Please!" it implored. Jade unlatched her jaw at the familiar tone and raised her head to see the girl she met outside. She stared in confusion at her panic stricken and tear stained face then back down at the cat girl she had been fighting. They shared the same features. That was when the conversation from before came back to her.

"Your sister saved your life. Consider yourself lucky," Jade hissed, standing to leave her opponent to bleed. Once again, a repeat of her first fight flashed before her eyes. She had spared the cat but the crowd demanded death. Just as before she refused to give them one, and this time, it would stay that way. Her reputation kept them from beating her into fighting, which was a bonus. She carefully searched the area to see Gabriel was thankfully not around. She had warned him constantly that if things didn't go the way they wanted he had to run. She did it to keep him safe as well as avoid the blinding rage she fell into when a loved one was in danger. She was afraid of that untapped power she had stored away and had no intention of unleashing its wrath. The girl ran up to the arena, slapped a wad of cash in the guard's hand and demanded that she be let inside. He did as she commanded and she clumsily entered to stop in front of Jade who stood over her sister with a frown. Jade didn't like the pained expression on her face. Jade's family meant everything to her and she was sure the unknown girl's sister meant everything to her too. It was this reason that sapped all the fight from her. She closed her eyes and stepped away to leave the arena. She avoided eye contact of any kind. The crowd was in an uproar by now, clearly unhappy, but Jade didn't care. She made her way out to the locker rooms to enter the shower room.

She was eager to rinse off her body so she didn't bother to strip first. She just wanted all the blood that painted her pale skin to wash away. Once most of it was gone she wrung out her hair, pulled it back up again so that it was out of her face, and then sloppily made her way towards the exit. She was almost there when she stopped to rest at a bench. Her shoulder was stinging sharply, making her legs shake and her tail quiver. She gripped her slightly bleeding shoulder, which was still healing, and fought off the need to sit, but finally plopped down heavily. She was too tired to move as of now so she sat there, staring at the wet floor underfoot and watching the water droplets that fell off the tip of loose locks of hair, her nose, and chin. She didn't know how long she sat there but the commotion outside was dimming which told her the show was over and people were leaving. She closed her eyes to further unwind but tensed again when a warm hand graced her back. Her panting turned into a growl of caution but when she turned to scare away the intruder she came face to face with the girl again. She towered over her a few seconds more before deeming the situation safe enough to put down her guard. She sat back down and groaned at her body's protests. The girl looked a little frightened at first, which she should, with what she witnessed, but took a seat next to Jade anyway. She cleared her throat before speaking.

"I um, wanted to thank you," she muttered. Jade let the silence hang between them until the girl became uncomfortable and stood to go, but Jade lifted her head to finally reply.

"No problem," she grunted, offering a small smirk. The girl smiled back and returned to her seat. She gripped Jade's limp hands in her own and then leaned in to kiss her cheek. Jade's eyes widened and she leaned away, confused.

"What the fuck was that?" she demanded. The girl giggled, a sound that Jade found endearing for some reason.

"It was a kiss. Are you telling me you don't get kisses with looks like yours lizard girl?" she teased playfully. Jade couldn't hold back the crooked curve of her lips from raising slightly.

"No. I don't usually fraternize with humans all that much. And I'm not a lizard," she responded, enjoying the warmth encasing her normally cool skin. The pretty girl tilted her head in disbelief and bemusement before responding.

"Oh no? That's a shame. We aren't all that bad you know. If you don't mind me asking, what are you a hybrid of then?" she questioned. Jade ignored the statement about humans and answered the question.

"Dragon," she mumbled.

"Excuse me?" the girl inquired.

"I'm a dragon, not a lizard," Jade spoke up a little louder. She laughed for some reason, making Jade wonder what was so funny.

"So you don't do that tongue thing?" she asked through her laughter. When Jade continued to look puzzled she wiped at her tears of mirth and squeezed Jade's hands which she hadn't bothered to remove.

"Oh come on, you have to have seen Mulan," she insisted incredulously.

"No, I don't watch movies," Jade muttered, wishing she had now. The girl looked sad for a moment before perking up again to explain the scene to Jade who humored her and listened. She did as was asked and quoted the children's film, flicked out her purple tongue, and hissed. The girl burst out laughing and Jade found herself smiling at her kind and lighthearted nature. She couldn't see that hollow girl from outside or detect any resemblance to the rest of her family.

"I'm glad you and my sister didn't kill each other," she whispered when her laughter subsided. A blush colored her cheeks again. Jade shook her head and stood, pulling the girl with her because she hadn't let go yet.

"Yeah, me too," she responded honestly. The girl smiled, delicate features brightening.

"By the way, my name's Victoria, but my friends call me Tori," she introduced herself belatedly.

"Jade, but annoying, smitten, fan girls call me lizard girl," Jade quipped in return. Tori laughed away another blush and then stepped closer to Jade.

"I should go…um, does your number one fan get a hug at least? It's kinda my way of showing my gratitude for all this," she said with a shy shrug. Jade shook her head but lifted her tired arms anyways. Tori flew into her and held her tight, brushing a feather light kiss to Jade's uninjured shoulder. She shivered at the contact and looked at her thoughtfully when they pulled away. Tori offered her a smile and raised a hand in farewell. She turned away to leave but Jade caught her by the wrist and pulled her back.

"Victoria, hold on," she called to her.

"Yeah?" Tori responded, patiently waiting. Jade had always wanted to try it out, see what it felt like. She had wondered endlessly and now was her chance to see what the big deal was. She was ready and comfortable enough with Tori to find out. As uncertain as she was, she still leaned in without another word, her hand raised to gingerly guide Tori's mouth to her own. Tori sucked in a small breath just before their lips touched. It was short and sweet and over way too soon. It evoked a small thrill in Jade that she wanted more of, but time was up and she had to go. She moved to pull away but this time Tori stopped her with her hands slipping behind her neck to hold her in place.

"Wait, that wasn't a good one," she mumbled emphatically before her mouth had captured Jade's in a sensual lip lock. Their mouths moved against each other and Jade let herself relax completely in order to properly enjoy the moment. Her hands gently cupped Tori's face and Tori held her against her body in return. The feeling that was coursing through her now was unbelievable. She couldn't get enough of it. So  **this** was why people kissed so much. Tori's tongue suddenly traced Jade's bottom lip once, catching her off guard for a second, but she reciprocated. Tori gasped at the contact, having forgotten the slippery texture Jade's tongue would have.

It caught her by momentary surprise but she slipped her tongue in Jade's mouth, dipping in just enough to entice her tongue out to play again while avoiding her sharp teeth. Jade obliged and slithered her tongue fully into Tori's mouth. Her grip on Jade tightened and she moaned, a sound of pleasure Jade instantly liked hearing. She allowed Tori's tongue to tangle with hers in a playful duel and let her win before slipping it out to disengage from the kiss. Tori panted and Jade was breathing heavily. Tori brushed against Jade's lips one last time and then stared into the mesmerizing eyes that almost seemed to glow enchantingly. She couldn't help but think how beautiful they were.

"I have to go now," Jade breathed, reluctant to leave or break the feeling settling over them.

"I know. I do too," Tori responded, nodding her agreement. She released Jade reluctantly and took a step back. Jade's hands slipped off Tori's defined features. Tori offered her a bright smile and then began heading for the exit.

"Thanks again, lizard girl," she tossed over her shoulder with a laugh. Jade chuckled and then smirked, shaking her head at the nickname. She watched Tori disappear and only then did she wander back to her room. That moment easily placed very high on her list of the best places to be, right under number one, taking a nap curled up with her back pressed to her Mother's heated body and a wing sheltering her. She couldn't wipe the smile off her face even when she stepped into her room to see Gabriel close to pulling his hair out.

"Father, what happened?" she asked, worried for him.

"Holy-" he cried out, cutting from English to Italian so that he could rant about how irresponsible she was and how he was worried sick and he thought something happened and demanded that Jade tell him why she was so late.

"I…I took a shower," she answered ruefully. Gabriel stared at her incredulously and then he was off again.

"Get out of here before I yank on your tail kid! Go on, get going!" he hollered at her. She hated getting her tail yanked on when she was in trouble, ever since she was young. So, she led the way outside, listening to Gabriel yell the whole way. She deserved it of course but it helped that all she could think about was that kiss. It haunted her for days, weeks, even months. After two years passed she was still wondering when she would get the chance to meet Victoria Vega again, the daughter of their enemy, who she took significant interest in despite her ambivalent feelings toward her.


	3. A B

Jade worked on autopilot. She finished washing the dishes, kissed Elena on the cheek, and hugged Gabriel before turning in for the night. She had to admit that recently she was being a tad more affectionate like she had been in her childhood, but she knew why, and that was the main crux of her problem. Her tall and toned frame silently crossed the living room and took the stairs to the room she owned since moving. She got dressed and took a seat on her bed. This year's tournament didn't live up to that one year either. Both Gabriel and Elena were reluctant to let her return but she persuaded them and won easily. There was no sign at all of Vega, but they didn't put their guard down just yet. By the end of the year it had been a slightly challenging tournament but still not enough. Jade spent all her free time either relaxing with her Mother or out on her adventures around town. She had gotten caught some time ago and admitted to sneaking out multiple times before that. She had been in trouble, but now that she was twenty, they didn't make such a big fuss anymore besides warning her to be careful. As long as she didn't raise any suspicion she was allowed to have her nightly explorations.

She still kept to herself, but now that she had experienced some of the flirting, teasing, and even kissing that went with the communication she had seen in the past she was more understanding of it. Things just carried on as they always had until the one night she decided to stay in. It was New Year's Eve and she spent the night eating a dinner she helped cook and then counted down with Elena and Gabriel when the time came for the ball to drop. Now that it was all over, and the new year had begun, they headed to bed. Jade curled up facing the wall, her tail brushing the ground occasionally. Her many thoughts helped her to sleep but she was harshly woken up when she was forcefully dragged out of bed by her exposed tail. She hit the floor hard and jerked fully awake to see men dressed in black surrounding her. She growled and pushed off the ground to attack but they quickly beat her down. When she was on her hands and knees, one of them slipped a loop around her neck and pulled tight. She thrashed but only succeeded in strangling herself when it tightened. They dragged her from her room and down the stairs to throw her at David Vega's well-polished shoes. He grinned wickedly and she snarled in return.

"Looks like we finally found you," he remarked with a triumphant laugh. Jade jumped at him but was promptly yanked back before she could even get close.

"It seems trying my own hand at producing a hybrid offspring didn't work as well as it did for Gabriel. He had to have done something different…but what?" he wondered, mockingly walking back and forth in front of Jade. She averted her gaze and refused to acknowledge him. He frowned and delivered a sharp kick to her stomach out of spite. She gritted her teeth and sucked in a pained breath, her body curving in on itself while she pressed a hand to the possibly bruised area.

"Let's go. We've removed West and his lovely assistant out of our path. We have the girl, and soon, we'll be rolling in cash," one of the men said eagerly when he entered the room. Jade held in the emotional turmoil at the news. Her family was gone. She wasn't sure about her Mother, but hopefully the goons wouldn't find the smaller training lab located under the house.

"Good, bring her," Vega commanded, turning to leave. They yanked her forward but Jade dug her nails in the floor and held herself there.

"Let go freak!" one of her captors ordered. He kicked her side and she snarled, swiping at his foot and tearing through leather.

"Hey!" another shouted, preparing to strike her again, but Vega intervened.

"Stop injuring my fighter and get the hell out here!" he yelled from outside.

"Yes, sir!" was their answer, scurrying to please. Vega rolled his eyes and walked back to crouch in front of Jade.

"Cooperate and I might let you in on a little secret," he bargained. Jade glared at him.

"Why should I care?" she spat hatefully.

"Because, it involves your precious family," he responded. Jade whimpered and instantly backed down, her tail wrapping loosely around her leg. She had no choice but to listen now. She wanted to know what happened to her family so badly that she would do anything to obtain that information. However, she wasn't aware that Vega had no intention of sharing that information with her.

"That's what I thought," he said with a satisfied nod. The man holding the end of her restraint tugged, tightening it and making her choke.

"Easy, we don't want her too beat up before the big games," Vega cautioned, not really caring either way. They snickered and began dragging her from the house. She eventually managed to get to her feet before she was strangled and followed the men into a black van. She was tossed in the back, which was caged but still roomy, and then the doors slammed shut. The drive was lengthy but Jade passed the time by curling up on her side and trying not to think about what had befallen Gabriel and Elena or what would happen to her. By the time the car stopped, her anxiety rose. They opened the double doors and she grudgingly let them drag her around again. Vega took over once they had entered the nondescript warehouse building and traveled underground via a heavy trapdoor. They came out in a laboratory type environment but it lacked the equipment Gabriel had. It wasn't as refined and the experiments were poorly caged. Vega led her down a series of halls and into a room containing a black barred cage that gave off a familiar hum.

"Magic?" Jade whispered under her breath.

"Yes, useful isn't it? You would know of course. Gabriel has been a very busy boy," Vega taunted. Jade hissed at the mention of her father in such a patronizing manner. She planned to attack Vega, tired of being treated like some animal, but a much stronger force yanked her away and tossed her into the cage. She caught herself before she fell and scrambled to her feet to see someone who she felt she knew but didn't at the same time. She cocked her head curiously and studied him. Her senses told her he wasn't human, and the long ears as well as the strangely colored eyes further proved it.

"She has grown up to be a very strong hybrid," the unknown species stated, eyeing her. Vega nodded and smiled smugly.

"You said you oversaw her birth and helped Gabriel produce her. I want you to help me tame her. You understand her kind," he requested, a command underlining it.

"Hmm, yes but I can only appeal to her primal nature. Because of how she was raised, humanity has already ran its course in her and might make that hard to accomplish," the unknown replied.

"Kessler, you work for me now and we made a deal. I caught her, now you will make her fight for me. So tame her! What's wrong? Have the elves' high and mighty intelligence not reached this far? Oh right, they  **haven't** ," Vega sneered. The elf bristled but remained calm. Yes, he was in the midst of figuring a way around his own research when he was captured.

"I will see what I can do," Kessler forced out, anger clear in his tone.

"Good, then make it happen. I want her obeying without defiance," Vega ordered. He shot Jade one last glance and then left the room. The elf approached the cage and Jade stiffened.

"You've worked with Gabriel and then turned traitor against him? Why?" she questioned, teeth bared as she spoke. The elf remained quiet a few seconds longer before answering.

"I had always planned to leave. Once you were born the deal was complete. I helped him and he gave me the knowledge I sought. I returned to my world to utilize what I had learned but it did not work. The magic that governed our world did not allow it. I had destroyed the machine in Gabriel's possession in order to stop him and others from returning to my world but it seems Vega had already found a way. That poor excuse for a man captured me and began threatening me into helping him the minute he learned of what I was and how I could help him," he explained. Jade took in the information and quickly realized that he was a prisoner just as much as she was.

"You plan to escape though," she guessed. He nodded.

"I will help him in order to survive, but as soon as I can I'm escaping. I want nothing to do with this world and its inhabitants. Although, you are free to join me young one. You carry the legacy of a very rare dragon in your blood. Our world would embrace you," he offered. Jade sighed, removed the leash, flung it aside, and walked forward to grip the bars in her hands. It pulsed with magic, a product of the elf no doubt.

"I can't. My place is here. I only regret that my Mother hasn't been able to return," she shared somberly, her sorrow easily detectable. Kessler frowned and looked away before he came up with an idea and turned back to her.

"If we overthrow him I could power the machine and we can send your Mother back with me. It's the least I can do for aiding him and divulging information about you," he suggested. Jade brightened at the offer.

"Ok," she agreed readily.

"Excellent, oh, but I must warn you. For this to work I will have to treat you as he expects. I cannot let him know we plan to cross him," he pointed out. Jade didn't like the sound of that but she had no choice.

"Fine, I'll be sure to keep that in mind. Whatever it takes to bring him down," she replied determinedly. Kessler grinned and raised his hands.

"Then let us begin young one," he told her, advancing on the door to the cage. Jade wasn't looking forward to whatever would be done to her, but if it meant saving the last of her family, then she would do it.

* * *

A pained snarl reached Victoria Vega's ears when she descended the flight of stairs into her father's 'lab'. She hated the cruelty he inflicted on the creatures he created and didn't want to be here right now but she had been summoned for some reason. She was directed down the hall that came alive with another scream of agony, much like the first she had first heard. She followed the tortured sound until she reached a guarded room. The two armored security at the door took one look at her and stepped aside. She walked in hesitantly to see the tall elf who she had met some time ago. He creeped her out so she always made sure to keep her distance from him. Her father yelled orders next to him, and in the cage, was someone she thought she would never see again. After that night her father seemed to have a hard time making a name for himself in the underground. Tori hadn't been forced to attend matches anymore and never saw her in public so she lost all hope of meeting the interesting lizard girl again. But here she was. She was bloody and bruised but there all the same.

"Father?" she spoke up, voice bordering on fear and sadness. Jade's lip twitched subtly at the sound of her voice but she remained on her knees, still except for labored breathing. She looked a little more rugged and unkempt since the last time Tori saw her. She was leaner and less…soft. She couldn't find another word for it. Her eyes that held so much emotion were dead and dull, only hatred burned deep in the ocean like depths. They were storms rearing to damage and destroy. All it took was two years and she was run down like Trina, her sister who was now little more than a side project. Tori had wondered why her father ignored her in favor of something new, and she didn't want to find out what could possibly catch his attention more than his prized fighter, but now she understood his sudden hours of absence.

"Victoria, you're here. You must be wondering why I called you," her father addressed her. She nodded and watched as he ordered the hybrid to kill the small rabbit hopping around the cage. Jade reached out, sharp nails brushing soft fur. Everyone in the room held their breath for different reasons but the claws gently opened so that she petted the small fluff of fur with her palm instead of brutally mauling it like Vega had ordered.

"No! I told you to kill! This is why we lose fights!" he screamed in rage, whipping the young hybrid once again. She snarled and caught the whip as it arced at her again and ripped it out of his grasp. She threw it aside and began yanking at the chains holding her down. The rabbit skittered away in fear. Her fury was evident and fueled her strength but she still couldn't get loose. Her frustrated roar tapered into a scream and then cut off into a wail full of anguish. She finally fell to the bloodstained floor and sobbed.

"I don't want to…I don't want to kill anymore. Please, stop," she begged, shaking her head while leaning over on her hands. Vega sighed and turned to Kessler.

"Your taming procedures are no longer effective," he growled in irritation.

"I told you she is not a beast and cannot be forced in that manner. I'm currently trying to find new ways to-" the elf began while collecting the rabbit and putting it in its cage, but Vega cut him off.

"Yeah, well it isn't working! Try harder, or so help me…" he threatened. The elf sighed in defeat but nodded. He traded the rabbit cage for a medical kit then stepped up to the large cage and entered to tend to the damaged beyond repair hybrid still begging like a broken record. Kessler was the only one Jade allowed to get close to her, let alone come in contact with her, so he doubled as her trainer and doctor. Tori wanted to cry just seeing it all. Was that what her father was doing all these years? Had she known, she would have busted Jade out sooner. Maybe she still could? Her attention turned to her father who walked up to her casually. He treated the situation like it wasn't anything to be concerned about. It made her sick.

"Victoria, I called you here because I plan to get back to work with Trina. There's another tournament beginning and we need the money after neglecting to enter the other two years. I want you to keep an eye on our reluctant guest. I can't trust anyone but you. That elf is useless and my assistants are morons. Try to…enlighten her to our cause," he explained. He made it sound like a request but Tori knew it was an order. She nodded and glanced at the hybrid once before returning her eyes to her father.

"Yes father, I'll try," she responded.

"You won't try, you'll do. Remember, if at first you don't succeed…" he began, leaving the rest for her to finish as he has always done. Tori answered as she was expected to.

"Pack your bags," she finished bitterly. Her father patted her shoulder with a heavy hand and then pushed her out of his way.

"You will be seeing little of me now, but don't think I won't check up on you. Hopefully you can get through her thick skull without a weapon," he stated darkly. He guffawed at his morbid joke but Tori shuddered. She felt more than sick now; she was downright disgusted. Vega slammed the door on the way out and Tori waited a minute before making her way to the cage. The elf stood to exit and held the door for her.

"She wants to talk to you," he told her quietly. Tori pointed to herself dubiously and he nodded, giving her a kind and reassuring smile. Tori took in a deep breath and then let it out to calm herself before going in. He shut the door behind her and left the room. Now that she was alone she began to feel anxiety take hold of her.

"Victoria," the rough voice addressed her gruffly. She jumped slightly at the familiar voice turned into something hard and unfeeling.

"Yes?" she responded uncertainly.

"You knew about all this?" the voice continued.

"I-I didn't know. I only found out tod-" she started to answer but Jade launched to her feet to snarl at her.

"Don't lie to me!" she spat, hitting the end of her chains when she advanced on Tori.

"What was that nonsense you spouted at me all those years ago then? Did you mean any of it? Did you feel sorry for me? Were you setting me up? Was all that just a way to distract me from what would really happen?" she interrogated spitefully. Tears sprung to Tori's eyes and she shook her head.

"No! I didn't know anything, I swear! I didn't know he planned this!" she shouted desperately, the tears burning her eyes threatening to fall.

"Did you know he killed my family? He attacked us in the dead of night and kidnapped me to be his little fighting slave. And for what? For riches and the chance to be the top dog at that god forsaken club!?" Jade began to rant angrily. Tori stayed quiet, crying too hard to get a word out. Jade continued to fill the silence.

"I wish I was never conceived. This was my ultimate purpose after all. It always has been; but I was too stupid, blind, and naïve to see it. I had loved my creator and saw him as my father but this was my destiny all along. I will forever be just some experiment forced to do another's bidding. I'm a monster, a freak, and now a slave. No more, no less," she concluded, her tense and beaten frame drooping. She let her arms drop to her sides and her fists relax. Her torn clothes made her look weak and shabby even though she was contoured with hard muscle. Tori stared with a hand pressed to her mouth. She bit at her knuckles until they bled, the small amount of pain was nothing compared to the wreck Jade was. They both took a seat on the hard ground to gather their thoughts. They were silent for an hour before Tori found the nerve to speak.

"I never wanted any of this to happen," she whispered, heartbroken by the damaged girl sitting before her. Jade clenched her jaw and then looked up to glare at Tori.

"Just leave me alone," she spat. Tori flinched, like she had been struck, but complied. She left Jade alone and only did what her father ordered her to do. She kept an eye on the dragon hybrid, brought her food, and sometimes even patched her up after a harsh day of training, even though that took some amount of trust to build between them. But Tori wouldn't give up. A couple months passed before Tori couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't stand that Jade was shunning her for something she had nothing to do with. She wasn't her father, dammit! She wasn't! With this in mind she marched into the cage one morning to sit herself directly in front of Jade who barely gave any notice that she was there. Tori just started talking and would see where that took her.

"When I met you, I was truly captivated with you. I really was. There was no other alternative agenda. I told myself, fuck my father and his cruel ways. He could get mad all he wanted, but I wouldn't listen to him. I went to find you and thank you properly for sparing Trina even though he told me I was forbidden. I was too curious for my own good. Maybe, in a way, I forced his hand and that's why you're here, but if so, that was unintentional. I never meant for any of this," she explained the best she could. Jade looked up from the floor to pin her with her cold eyes. Tori didn't back down this time.

"So it wasn't a ruse?" she questioned, slightly confused, but her defenses still in place. Tori shook her head.

"God no," she answered, hoping Jade could see how sincere she was. The hybrid let out a tired sigh and her shoulders slumped. Her tail began to swish across the dirty ground where she sat pensively. Tori watched it move like a metronome, slow and steady, until it stopped. Her eyes flicked up to Jade's face.

"Ok, fine, say I believe you. What then?" Jade asked, reluctant to show any weakness again.

"We put whatever my father did to you behind us. I'm not like him and never will be. He didn't treat me the way he treats Trina, you, and the other creatures, but he did hurt me to force me to follow his orders. I know his ways from experience but I can never claim that I know exactly how you feel. I guess I'm trying to say that, when it comes to my father, everyone is under him no matter who you are. In that respect we are in the same boat. I was told to keep an eye on you for him while he was away training Trina. I was told to try and make you follow him, but I'm being honest with you right now because I don't want to do that. I want us to be friends and I hope you don't think this is all a scam. I really don't. But I guess, the only way to see that is to prove it and hope you believe me," Tori answered truthfully. Jade tilted her head to the side, contemplating her words.

"Maybe I'll trust you, for now," she grumbled, looking away. Tori smiled and stood to carefully get closer to Jade. She flinched and scooted back, making Tori freeze before starting again. She held out a hand and stopped there with a caring smile, waiting for Jade to make the decision to come closer to her. She advanced slowly, fluidly on all fours, and halted right in front of Tori's outstretched hand. She stared at it, finding a scar on the inside of her forearm and wondering what happened there. Maybe what she said about her father was the truth and he had hurt her too. Jade didn't like the thought. She found herself wanting to protect her.

She fought to keep the youngest Vega under suspicion but her instincts just wouldn't allow her to. Tori was a good person with a good heart. She could feel it. She just hoped she was getting the right vibes from her because Jade liked being around her. She just hoped she wouldn't regret it. Tori stood with anticipation and compassion shining in her eyes as well as unyielding patience. Jade looked up at her before leaning forward until Tori's fingers came in contact with the smooth scales on her cheek. Tori's eyes widened at the sudden texture but brushed back a strand of Jade's hair that had fallen out of the tie and then cupped her cheek.

"You can trust me from now until forever lizard girl," she stated softly, a bit playful. Jade's eyes locked with hers and flickered with a small flame of life. It made Tori hopeful. She smiled but it fell to be replaced by a nervous one when Jade gently pushed her hand aside and stood to her full height. She raised a hand to reach for Tori but the chains stopped her. Tori saw that she was still too far to come in contact with her. She took another helpful deep breath and then moved forward. Jade tucked her chestnut brown hair behind her ear as soon as she could and then gripped her chin. Tori let her direct her head to the side at a tilt. Her breath hitched when Jade leaned in to nuzzle at her neck. Her nose grazed over sensitive skin, inhaling the pleasing scent to familiarize herself with the interesting girl. Her hands moved to grip Tori by her upper arms to steady her trembling body and then continued to brush her nose under Tori's jaw, then higher, until they were eye level with each other. Now their noses were almost touching. The moment turned intimate the longer they stared into each other's eyes.

"Is there anything else I should know, human?" Jade asked in a faux disgusted tone. In fact, it held a hint of returned playful teasing along with something more. She really wanted to trust Tori, and the only way to start was to clear the air. The corner of Tori's lips quirked. She had no idea if this was crossing the line but she couldn't resist.

"Not unless you remember what a kiss is," she replied breathlessly, suddenly craving to recreate that moment long ago. Jade smirked, finally feeling that unique warmth after so long. She wanted to get lost in this girl that had a knack for bringing out the best in her, when she allowed it, but she also feared the vulnerability it brought. There was already too many people to ache over and she would definitely be another. She was her enemy's daughter, which was bound to cause problems, but right now all she wanted was to get as much as she could out of the situation while it lasted.

"It isn't an easy thing to forget," Jade replied cheekily. Tori giggled and blushed a little at the more casual and teasing tone that seeped into Jade's voice. She was returning to the person she had met years ago and all it took was some time spent alone together, exchanging honest words.

"Care to prove it?" Tori questioned, playfully doubtful. Jade smiled softly and cupped Tori's face in her hands gently. If this blew up in her face she knew she would be more than hurt, she would be devastated, but she listened to her heart and let herself trust fully.

"Gladly," she accepted, leaning in the rest of the way so that their lips finally met. It was tender, sweet, and languid. A low rumbling sound worked its way deep from within Jade's chest to grace Tori's lips. It was a sound Tori could only describe as a purr. It caressed her with its warm quality and assured her that the hybrid sharing this moment with her was truly happy. She wrapped her arms around Jade's neck and pulled her closer so that their bodies pressed together. Jade gripped her hips in surprise and her eyes snapped open but Tori just smirked against her lips. Her tongue skimmed the pale hybrid's bottom lip and she responded by pulling away. Tori feared she had gone too far but Jade had only moved to duck down and run her smooth tongue up the column of her throat. She groaned her approval so Jade trailed her tongue up across Tori's jaw to flick at her ear where she nibbled lightly. Tori's hold on her tightened while her knees buckled.

"Was that good enough for you?" Jade whispered in her ear. Tori trembled at her sultry tone.

"More than enough," she confessed. Jade smiled and buried her face in the crook of Tori's neck.

"Victoria, why do you make me feel this way?" she mumbled against her skin. Tori sighed and shifted to hold Jade in a comforting embrace as she had slipped her arms around Tori's middle to hug her.

"Because I like you and you like me. It's as simple as that," she replied quietly.

"Is it really?" Jade questioned, truly wondering.

"Maybe not that simple, but, why complicate it? Why not just enjoy it?" Tori remarked, pulling away to look into Jade's eyes. She smiled fondly and then nodded in agreement. She gave Tori one last squeeze before stepping away from her. Tori opened her mouth to question her when the door opened. She hastily put distance between them and then turned to see who had come in.

"It is just me," Kessler announced as he strode in. Both Tori and Jade subconsciously relaxed.

"You are due to attend school soon, Victoria," he continued. She gasped and ran for the exit but stopped and returned to Jade. She hesitated before leaning in to kiss Jade's cheek. Her smile raised Jade's spirits. She watched as Tori ran out in a hurry. As soon as she was gone, however, Jade caught Kessler looking at her with a studious raised brow and a slight smile.


	4. G R

Jade tried to ignore the fact that she was a little embarrassed, or even sheepish, for being caught in such an affectionate situation with Tori. As far as she knew, the elf wasn't aware of how close they were getting. She fidgeted under Kessler's stare and quickly grew irritated at him. He shook his head but didn't say anything as he casually walked further into the room to stop at the door to the cage. He glanced at her in a calculative manner before pushing open the door and stepping inside.

"What?" she demanded. He chuckled and walked over to free her of the chains. While alone, the two had a much different interaction than when they were around anyone else. The elf made the dragon hybrid a deal. If she behaved, he would let her move freely when they were alone. She readily agreed, needing that small amount of freedom.

"So, it seems you two have some history between you?" he commented casually.

"You could say that," Jade responded, running laps around the cage while Kessler watched.

"Is there any use in asking what happened in the past and recently?" he asked next.

"The same thing happened here as in the past," she replied selectively, excluding the information he sought in order to evade it.

"Hmm, and does that have anything to do with the pheromones permeating the air?" he wondered idly, waving his hand in a small circle for emphasis. Jade skid to a stop and looked at him with wide eyes. Her tail curled slightly with her shock. She hadn't known the elf's senses were at that level.

"I, um…this is awkward," Jade grumbled, unable to find words.

"It is alright young one. It is natural to still feel attracted to the human species as you are still a part of them. I just hadn't thought you would choose the most unattainable one," he observed. Jade groaned and moved to rest her head on a bar, feeling the warm vibrations of the magic imbued in it hum against her skin. It felt calming.

"I know, I'm an idiot for that, but I just can't help it. She drew me to her ever since that first day we met. It just felt…right," she shared with a sigh. The elf watched her shift into a sitting position and rest her back against the bars. She let her head fall back and closed her eyes. Kessler felt sympathy for the young hybrid, and uncharacteristically, wanted to aid her. So he crouched down next to her and gripped her shoulder to get her attention. She opened her eyes and leveled the colorful orbs on him.

"To be completely honest with you, I have seen many dragons create strong bonds with their masters. Some claim the dragon let themselves be caught because they were already drawn in. A close friendship is shared mutually between rider and steed along with love sometimes. They fight together as a team, and if one falls, the other fights to the death to avenge them. It happens a lot, and maybe, that is what has formed between you and the youngest Vega," he explained, taking note of her expressions as he spoke. She was interested, curious, shocked, then frightened, before an oddly blank contentment took its place. She had made her decision.

"I guess I'll just have to see where this takes me, won't I?" she responded evenly, glancing at him with a smirk and then getting fluidly to her feet.

"Indeed," Kessler agreed, pushing off the ground to stand too. Jade gestured for him to get in an offensive stance and he complied as soon as she crouched into her own. They sparred for hours, clearing Jade's mind of Victoria Vega and the emotions that she brought. As for Tori, she was more than glad that Trina's training regimen kept her father busy. He did as he said he would and checked in on her once in a while. She reported no disturbances and he left without anything more to say. In those couple months Tori was the happiest she had ever been in her life. Jade was a wonder she could never hope to fully solve. She kept amazing her every day simply by being her. Kessler would often let Tori step in to patch Jade up after a particularly rough training day and the two would go on to spend some time together while the intuitive elf 'ran errands' in order to give them time to themselves. Days like that were far between and hard to come by with the senior Vega lurking about, but one night they managed another meeting. Tori had snuck in with Kessler's help. Now, Jade was lying across the floor on her stomach with her shirt pushed up to expose her defined back.

Tori ran her hands over the smooth scales with interest. She loved the feel of Jade's body under her hands. They hadn't moved past heated kisses but Jade had taken to receiving massages from Tori who was really skilled in that department. But the massages soon turned into caresses. They often sat in silence, Jade enjoying Tori just being there and Tori busying herself with Jade's unique texture. Tori hummed a tune quietly and stroked upward along Jade's sides so that she gripped at the tense muscles of her shoulders. She worked out the knots patiently, loving the sounds of appreciation Jade made sometimes. Her thought process began with doing everything in her power to make Jade happy, which included sharing the secret she had discovered. Her father smacked her around until she promised she wouldn't bring it up to Jade for fear much worse would befall her. It was a moment of weakness, but the strength Jade gave her finally pulled through. She didn't give a damn what her father would do. She had to tell Jade. It was tearing her up inside. She sighed heavily and her hands came to a stop. Jade pushed off the floor, fixing her shirt as she went, to give Tori a questioning look.

"Are you ok?" she asked in concern. Tori went to nod out of habit but stopped herself and shook her head. Jade quickly sat by her, wrapped an arm around her back, and followed the action with her tail curling around Tori protectively from its place resting on the floor. It ended on her lap, resting on one leg. The inner warmth from Jade's body comforted her so that she could speak.

"They're alive," Tori whispered quietly. Jade cocked her head to the side in plain confusion. If Tori had something to say she should at least make sense.

"Who is?" she responded. Tori tentatively flicked her eyes to Jade before looking away and curving in on herself. She wrapped her arms around her raised knees and hid her face in them.

"What is it?" Jade asked, growing more worried by the minute. She had noticed the signs of abuse on Tori. That hadn't escaped her. Vega hurt her, and that made Jade furious, but the worst part was that she couldn't do anything about it. She was helpless in all areas concerning father and daughter except simply being there when Tori needed her. Now seemed like that time, because if Tori was being punished, there must be a reason. Tori sniffled and Jade grew alarmed from the sudden tears on her face. She took Tori's hands in hers.

"Who are you talking about?" she questioned. Tori's lip trembled and she bit it to make it stop. Jade waited for her to say something, but when Tori wasn't able to, Jade leaned in to persuade her. The kiss was a gentle encouragement. Tori broke it to cup Jade's face in her hands so that she could gain focus.

"You're parents, they're still alive. I overheard my father say they were never killed. He was using their fake death as a way to keep you weak, to break you, so that he could 'tame' you along with tormenting them in order to force information out of them. I knew for some time but-I was afraid you would get mad at me for not saying anything sooner. I was too scared, scared of what he might do if he found out," she rambled with slight fear and guilt in her voice. Just the mention of the senior Vega made Jade growl quietly. She hated that he treated Tori so cruelly. Those first few bruises made her silently fume when Tori begged her to drop it but Jade couldn't. Deep down it would plague her. She was supposed to take care of Tori. She was passionate as well as protective of the half Latina, which screamed for her to make her father pay for what he did, but for Tori she had to act uninterested in her. Tori had waited for Jade to say something, and when she didn't, she rushed to explain further but Jade just covered her mouth before she could start.

"Where are they now?" she questioned simply, taking in the information and accepting Tori's reasons for doing what she did. She couldn't get mad at Tori, but she did want to know everything as soon as possible. Tori shifted uncomfortably in Jade's arms before she began.

"They're here somewhere. I don't know where exactly but I know they're here. They've been here all this time. My father turned to them when Kessler began refusing him," she started. Jade had seen marks on Kessler too yet she couldn't understand how such an intelligent, wise, and noble creature would ever allow himself to be mistreated that way.

"I have to get out of here, save them, and cripple Vega. Your father has to be stopped," she growled. Tori nodded, knowing this already. There was no escaping that. Her father was a ruthless man, using and abusing living things for his own profit. They had to make things right.  **She**  had to make things right.

"I know, but how will you do that?" she wondered. Jade thought about it before her eyes flashed with an idea. She looked at Tori and smirked.

"You," she clarified. Tori was confused.

"Me?" she repeated. Jade nodded.

"Yeah, look, he won't suspect you. Take a leaf out of that performing arts school's book and just act like you're interested in learning what it takes to help your father. Get a hang of it, make him trust you, acquire the knowledge, and then when the time is right we turn this all against him," Jade explained, her voice rising in excitement. Tori grinned, seeing her so lively again. She loved seeing her happy.

"Ok, I'll do it," she said with an enthusiastic nod. She pulled Jade into a hug and the hybrid returned it lovingly. Tori pulled back to look into Jade's glowing eyes and watched as the pupils flexed into slits in the flickering lights overhead. Jade frowned and glanced up at the faulty lighting. A faint yet mechanical hum in the distance put her on edge. The feeling she got in the pit of her stomach was far from good. The lights stabilized but the humming persisted.

"What was that?" Tori wondered. Jade stood to slowly pace, closing her eyes and letting her senses wander.

"It sounds familiar. I think it's some kind of machine," she guessed. Tori stood and walked over to her, placing her hand on Jade's forearm.

"My father's been working on some kind of machine. He says it's going to make him far more money than he does now. I don't know how that will work but-" Tori began to ramble but a gasp from Jade shut her up.

"No," she growled, gritting her teeth.

"What?" Tori asked.

"He can't do that," Jade muttered.

"What?" Tori repeated, her tone becoming concerned.

"He made it. He made the machine that jumps through dimensions. If what you said is true then he got what he wanted from my parents and Kessler. That's the only reason he kept them alive, but now…" Jade speculated, letting her words drown out in fear. She couldn't sit around and let the only people she cared about get hurt, or worse. She growled and began pacing again, her tail whipping behind her and her hands clenched into fists that brought her nails into her palms. Any harder and they would break skin. Tori called to her repeatedly but Jade wouldn't listen. Her worry was too great. Tori desperately grabbed Jade by the shoulders and pushed her back until she was slammed against the bars.

"Jade, calm down! We can get through this! I won't let him hurt you and I won't let him hurt your family! Just tell me what to do," she shouted. Jade looked at her with wide eyes but smiled a moment later.

"You've already done so much," she mumbled, reaching up to cup Tori's face gently in her hands. The contact alone already calmed her. Her sharp nails traced Tori's cheekbones carefully before her right hand slid into her hair to grip behind her head and bring her closer.

"Victoria?" Jade whispered softly, her lips inches from Tori's mouth.

"Yeah?" she replied, enchanted by the way Jade stared at her.

"I think I'm falling in love with you," Jade confessed. Tori's heart felt like it would burst from her chest. Her breathing sped up and tears gathered in her eyes. She didn't know what else to say so she took action instead. She brought Jade's lips to hers and pressed herself into the firm yet comforting contour of the hybrid's form. Jade leaned against the bars and let Tori kiss her with so much passion she was deliriously overwhelmed. Tori's hands slid down Jade's body to grip her hips, her thumbs sneaking under the hem of Jade's shirt. She groaned into Tori's mouth and then deepened the kiss fervently. Her tail hooked around Tori's thigh and yanked her closer so that her bottom half pressed into Jade more snugly. A breathy moan left Tori's lips and Jade smirked.

"I think I'm falling for you too lizard girl," Tori panted, her own smirk on her features. That was the turning point, the one thing that convinced Jade that putting her trust in the youngest Vega was the best choice she ever made. Spending time with her was all she ever did from then on besides the usual training. Jade was actually happy in the hell hole she had been dragged into. She told herself she could keep going as long as Tori was there for her. She should have known that it wouldn't last much longer. She was naïve to even hope, but she did. It all fell apart one night when Tori came in to accompany Jade as she always did after training. They talked and sometimes exchanged affectionate gestures but they hadn't kissed since that confession. Jade took it upon herself to bring Tori closer and give her a simple peck on the lips. Tori smiled with a light blush staining her cheeks. Jade laughed and leaned in for more when disagreeing voices met her ears. The intimate moment was shattered when the door flew open and David Vega strode in, shoving Kessler aside harshly as he did. He froze when he took one look at Jade and Tori's close proximity.

"Victoria, what is the meaning of this?" he demanded, face red in rage and fists tight. He wasn't happy to return home after a year of training Trina to see his youngest with the dragon hybrid. Tori jumped away from Jade like she was shocked. Jade could see the panic in her expression before her brown eyes met Jade's conflicted gaze. She watched as they changed to become eerily calm. A hollow expression took its place on her face, reminding Jade of that first meeting all those years ago. A cold smirk played on her features and her body shifted into one of indifference.

"Sorry father, I was  **trying** to get information out of the hybrid by faking trust but I think you've ruined that for me now," she explained without faltering. David Vega's heavy brows lifted into an intrigued expression. She sounded so confident yet heartless that Jade had a hard time disbelieving her. She hoped with all her heart that what Tori said wasn't true. She couldn't even ask because if it wasn't true and this was a ploy against Tori's father then she would get Tori in trouble. But what if it was really true? Who could love a thing like Jade anyway? She shrunk a little and used the bars behind herself to keep from sliding to the floor in heartbreak. She looked at Tori hopefully but the young Vega glared at her in return.

"I can't believe you thought I would actually like you. I can't believe you tried to  **kiss**  me," she sneered hatefully. She said it all without flinching and Jade took the blows head on. She told herself to ignore the cutting words, told herself she was sure they were fake, but they sounded so real. She may have been an efficient killing machine but she was never unfeeling. Her heart always remained pure.

"Victoria," she whispered brokenly. She reached out to touch her arm but Tori smacked the hand away. Her hand then whipped across Jade's face, back handing her sharply. Jade gasped at the stinging contact to her cheek and held a hand there. Her eyes locked with Tori's before she finally gave in and slid to her knees, defeated. Her head bowed and her body deflated as the pain settled in. Kessler watched with a bruised countenance, hoping that the young Vega was faking it. He truly wanted their relationship to succeed as they both deserved someone who loved them for who they were. Just watching the scene unfold made his hope flicker. He always had faith in the young girl but it seemed it might have been misplaced. What if this was her true colors and she had been working for her father all along? Perhaps the whole Vega clan really were unfeeling? No, he couldn't believe that. Victoria was a good person, and he still held his belief that she would free Jade. His silent decision was lost on all as Tori gave Jade one last withering look before removing herself from the cage.

"You have her unchained when you go in there?" Vega questioned with irritation, yet the pride in his tone was apparent. He had never thought Tori capable of this line of work. He had always cringed at the amount of care she put into everything. Life wasn't always so nice and he tried for years to get his youngest to understand that. It looked like she had been playing him all along and he couldn't have been more satisfied than he was now.

"How else would I have been able to fool her and get her to work for us?" Tori replied with a shrug. Vega laughed and casually threw an arm around Tori's shoulder. Kessler caught the slight flinch from Tori when the oldest Vega lifted his arm but Jade hadn't. She was too busy wallowing in her grief. Her pain was so deep it looked like she had her own personal black rain cloud hovering over her. Kessler frowned and wanted dearly to explain to the young dragon that Tori was definitely acting, but he couldn't, not without exposing her plans to the senior Vega. He didn't like it but it had to be done.

"Very nice, Victoria. I had lost hope in you ever following the family business. You shared your mother's sentiments too closely but I see it was all just a scam. You are your father's daughter after all and I don't want to waste another moment of our time here. I want to share something with you," he stated, leading Tori to the exit.

"Elf, lock up the hybrid and stay there until I allow you to leave. You don't deserve to return to your cell after defying me again," he ordered. Kessler nodded silently and entered the cage. Vega watched him a moment longer and then left with his youngest still under his arm. The door slammed with a finality that crushed Jade. She had been holding in her tears the whole time but they finally broke free, a single tear running down her face. She didn't respond to anything Kessler did as he worked to chain her up. She just sat with emotionless disinterest. He began to worry for her after he sat for an hour, waiting to see if she would come around. Instead, she curled up on her side and cried. Her broken sobs tore at him because he knew despite dragons being fierce and mighty creatures, they loved with a capacity no other creature he had met could ever match.

To him, that included humans, although they seemed to be almost as complex. A dragon's bond was strong, and because they were, they fight mercilessly to keep their loved ones safe. It was the reason taming a dragon companion in his world was so sacred. If one was able to gain the trust of a dragon then they too were pure of heart. For a dragon's trust was the highest blessing anyone could have. It was the reason Kessler couldn't quite believe Tori's actions. He had come to trust her too and couldn't see her behaving this way was truly who she was. No, Jade may be half human, but all the important qualities of her dragon lineage were there. Her trust was honest and true. He would just have to wait and see who the youngest Vega was truly fooling. Kessler sighed and sat next to Jade who flinched when he placed his slender, long fingered hand on her arm.

"She didn't mean it young one, I'm sure," he mumbled. Another sob wracked Jade's form before she could answer.

"She did, Kessler. She's been playing us, can't you see? I'm so stupid to ever believe that someone besides the ones who raised me could ever love me," she lamented. Because dragons felt so much it wasn't a wonder that their hearts could be broken easily. The wise elf had seen many distressed dragon companions fly into an inconsolable rage after the death of a partner. They had to be put down because of how fierce they became. They lost a piece of their soul and they would never love again. Jade's human qualities may save her from feeling that intense but he couldn't be sure that she wouldn't let the rage fester within. In fact, knowing her for so long, he knew she would fight harder, kill with brutality, and train until she dropped to forget this ever happened. Right now, she just needed the comfort to get over her heartbreak, and he would provide for her as much as he could.

"Jade, ever since that amazing day when you were born I always knew you would be great. It was not because you were a hybrid and it was not because of what you were a hybrid of. I could feel your purity and knew you would be a very special individual all on your own. As you grew and our paths have crossed once more I can only feel honor for being the one to stand by your side even in these harsh circumstances. I have confidence in you and hope you trust me in return because of the history we share," he began. Jade sniffled and rolled on her back to look at him. Her usually strong features crumbled with apparent remorse.

"I don't know about all that purity shit but I trust you too, Kessler. You're my only friend," she responded honestly. He smiled fondly and patted her arm.

"Then believe me when I say that Victoria can still be trusted," he insisted. Jade's expression darkened at the mere mention of her name. Kessler could feel her anger already bubbling under the surface. Her mourning was over. Now, she would fight.

"No, she  **can't**  be trusted. She wasn't what we thought Kessler, and she'll never be," Jade disagreed. He sighed.

"Jade, I've vowed to protect you ever since I learned that you had been kidnapped. I know you as well as your parents. You are careful and deliberate in your actions, which include who you put your reliance in, and when you do it is well placed. Victoria Vega is devoted to you. You two have been planning a breakout for some time now. She has told you about your parents, yes?" he continued. Jade tensed at the mention of her parents and then sat up quickly. A hiss escaped her mouth in anger.

"You knew?" she snarled at him.

"Of course," he replied calmly.

"Why didn't you say anything?" she demanded, getting to her feet to tower over him. He wasn't affected by her attempt at intimidation. He stared down purebred dragons that were over fifty times her size and three times as strong.

"I had faith Victoria would tell you and she did. That's proof that she-" Kessler tried again but Jade just roared in agitation and tackled him to the ground.

"No! She told me when she knew the time would be right! It was a ploy, a trick. She lied to get close to me so she could break my heart and break my will, so that her father could break me further! Stop this nonsense talk of love and trust, Kessler! We're in the real world not some fairy tale!" she shouted in his face, her nails digging into his shoulder and drawing forth his dark blood. His brows creased in discomfort but he didn't back down.

"You are wrong," he stated simply with conviction. Jade's eyes contracted into slits and she bared her teeth. A low growl slid from her mouth in a threatening manner. Her claws dug deeper in the elf's flesh but he did nothing to stop her. Jade looked seconds from tearing him apart, but no matter how hurt, confused, and angry she was, she couldn't truly harm him. He knew this and waited calmly as her jagged breathing faltered. She gasped on the air like she was suffocating now, her fierce expression dissolving. She pushed off the elf to stumble over her restraints in an effort to put as much distance as she could between them. Hot tears ran again, both full of sadness and rage. She screamed and spat vivid green flame that scorched the floor. Her blows fell hard against the bars of her cage to bend the metal.

The outward force of strength and her own brand of magic was easily beginning to overcome the charms and spells he placed on the enclosure. This was the kind of emotional outburst he was expecting and it had finally arrived. He sat up and quietly kept an eye on the rampaging hybrid that was now nothing more than a beast at the moment. If Vega knew what was good for him he would stay clear until she was worn out, but knowing him, he would use her new found fury to his advantage. In the three days Kessler was left with Jade he witnessed all the stages of grief. Even the various personnel that brought food for them were not safe even though they did nothing. The fact that they even worked for Vega angered Jade. She didn't want to kill them, because killing an innocent just wasn't something she could ever do.

She wasn't above scaring the shit out of them though by inflicting a small amount of pain in the form of a bite or scratch. Hell, she had bitten off the finger of a server until Kessler stepped in. He calmed her before she could tear into him with her claws. After she had calmed for the day, having worn herself out, she apologized profusely while he cleaned up. He always waved her away but his silence was getting to her. She didn't want to lose another person she cared about, so by the third day, she resolved to let it all go. She was calm and indifferent, lacking all emotion. The stillness that accompanied her concerned Kessler, but even he had to admit it was better than the turmoil that surrounded him before. It was just odd and a little frightening to see the passionate hybrid so emotionally dead. Even when Vega returned to gather her for a small tournament that would lead up to the big one she hadn't reacted much besides a grudging growl.

Kessler was dismissed to join maintenance on the machine, leaving Jade to be dragged out like a dog on a chained leash. He hoped she hadn't completely given up. She hadn't, and it showed in the battles she partook in. They held no mercy. When she fought she fought to kill without a second thought. She didn't do it for Vega of course, but for herself. She had to release the toxic need to inflict her pain on something. She still didn't want to hurt anything at all, but if she had to pick it would be her opponents. Years of abuse at the hands of Vega combined with her broken heart made her icy. She knew she would be nothing but a disappointment to everyone if they saw her like this, giving in to such hate. Her Mother, hopefully being taken care of by her father's personnel, would be ashamed of her, she knew. It couldn't be helped though. She was nothing but a beast answering to her master's orders as she should be. She had nothing else to live for.


	5. O I

If Jade had thought years in captivity as a fighting slave was bad before, it was worse without Tori. She hated to admit it, but every day for a year was a battle in itself to go on. All her matches ended with a victory of course and Vega moved on to enter Trina in the championship competition of that year, leaving Jade to her own devices again. She was currently trying to rest, but the sound of activity somewhere in the higher levels above woke her from her fitful sleep. She resolved to roll over and try to get back to sleep when a deafening roar shook the building. She bolted to her feet with a gasp. It couldn't be. She must be hearing things.

"Mother," she muttered to herself. She traversed the scarred and torn up floor, courtesy of her temper, to grip at the equally damaged bars. Cries of pain and surprise reached her ears before the door to her room blew off its hinges with a wave of flaming green inferno. The mighty white dragon stuck her head in to gaze at Jade. She let out a sound of longing that her Mother returned. Her happiness was cut short when Tori stepped in, her hand grazing her Mother's jaw like the two were the best of friends. Jade snarled and stepped away from the bars.

"What did you do to her?" she questioned, her tone low and dangerous. Her Mother nudged a suddenly scared and uncertain Tori forward. She stumbled over her feet but caught herself to walk further into the room. She held her hands up in surrender, cringing at the animosity Jade gave off. She was nothing like the Jade she knew and the fights she had watched were a horror show bathed in blood and gore that made her sick to her stomach. All of Jade's opponents were defeated one after another, something her father took great joy in. She didn't like seeing Jade that way and it hurt knowing it was all her fault.

"Jade, please…" she began, but Jade just snarled.

"I'm not listening to anything you have to say, human," she spat carelessly.

"But-" Tori tried again only for Jade to slam her fist against a bar, bending it further outward. Tori flinched but opened her mouth again despite the fear coursing through her.

"No! I don't want to hear it! I won't let you hurt me again!" Jade silenced her. Her voice was cracking under the sadness that was stronger than the anger. Tears ran down Tori's face as she tried desperately for Jade to hear her out.

"I did it for you!" she finally screamed. Jade froze to look at the equally hurt and broken human.

"What?" she whispered.

"It was all an act, Jade! I had to get my father to trust me so that I could get in and out of the most highly guarded areas. I found your parents, they're already free and reported to the cops who were called by your father's personnel the day they went missing. I know where the machine is too. Your parents showed me your Mother…she's beautiful. I can see the resemblance. She was being cared for ever since," Tori began with a strained voice only to soften towards the end. Jade was reluctant to give in, her eyes finding the great dragon's eyes gazing at her from the doorway. She sent waves of calming energy through Jade, allowing her to absorb Tori's words more easily.

"You brought her here. Why?" Jade inquired, her glare still leveled on Tori even though she had relaxed a little more. Tori fidgeted under the scrutiny.

"My own mother fought to protect me from my father's abuse and died trying. You've been doing the same thing for your mother. I may have lost mine but if I could help you save yours then I would, so I brought her here to return her to her true home. Kessler is waiting at the machine as promised. We just came to bust you out," she answered, her voice wavering slightly when she talked of her mother. By this point it was hard for Jade not to give in. She wanted to so badly, but the conflict still warred within her. Tori must have seen it, perceptive as she was, because she briskly made her way over to open the cage and step in. Jade grew rigid once more, hunching over ready to attack should she get any closer.

"Stay away from me," she growled. Tori offered a watery smile and raised a hand to reach out to Jade. She could feel the fear rolling off Tori and see her hand shake, but there was still determination keeping her from backing down.

"I'm here for you Jade, and I won't leave until I have you in my arms again. I love you," she stated sincerely. Her tone was kind but Jade felt trapped. Never had she felt like such a caged animal more than she did now. She wanted dearly to believe but she was still fighting. She didn't know what to do and it was doing nothing but stress her out.

"Just leave me alone," she whimpered, backing away from Tori who just continued to advance on her.

"No," Tori denied with a slow shake of her head. Jade reached the end of the chains and yanked on them to keep moving but it was no use. She recoiled from Tori's touch and watched as she got closer and closer. Her instinct to defend herself lashed out and she changed direction to slam into Tori. They fell to the ground where Jade bared down on her with her sharp teeth on display. One hand held Tori's body down, nails digging in her hip, while the other hand gripped and pressed into her throat. Tori choked on the insufficient air being squeezed out of her but didn't fight back. They both had tears in their eyes, but unlike Jade's pained frown, Tori was fighting through the pain to smile.

"You don't love me. It's a trick," Jade sobbed, tightening her hold. Tori cried out, feeling the warmth of blood leak down her side where Jade's claws continued to dig, hitting her hipbone.

"I'm sorry, Jade. I'm so sorry," she gasped, the last of her air now used up. She was blacking out quickly while Jade fought with herself. The second she realized Tori had gone still she retreated, pulling back to allow her to breathe. She had finally made her choice, but it was too late. Tori wasn't breathing. She lay limp and fragile under Jade who stared down at her in rising fear.

"No, no, no, no," she chanted desperately, gathering the unresponsive girl in her arms.

"Victoria," she called, holding her by the chin. Silence met her plea. Jade choked on a sob before pressing her mouth to Tori's. She worked relentlessly, forcing air into Tori and pressing at her chest repeatedly. Although it took a while and almost had Jade's heart stopping, she managed to bring Tori back with a sharp intake of air. She began coughing, her body painfully conscious once again. Jade let out a relieved sound and almost crushed Tori in her arms. She tucked her head in the crook of Tori's neck and held her as the tears ran.

"I almost killed you. I'm sorry, Victoria. I-I love you too. I still do," she stated, leaning back to meet Tori's tired brown eyes.

"I never stopped," she replied in a quiet and strained tone. She smiled slightly but Jade beamed back. Her lips found Tori's warm and soft ones. Tori hummed happily and buried her hands in Jade's hair. When they pulled away they simply stared into each other's eyes.

"Victoria, I-" Jade began but Tori shook her head.

"No, I understand. I knew what I was doing and I knew it would cause you pain. It hurt so much to see you like that but, it was all for you. I swear, Jade. It was all for you," she repeated. Jade smiled and leaned in to kiss the girl she had no doubt she would love for the rest of her life.

"I know now, and I'll never forget what you've done for me," she whispered. She wiped the tears from Tori's face and then laid her down so that she could look at the deep cuts she inflicted on her hip. Jade brushed aside the bloody shirt and Tori bit her lip from the pain of it dragging over the wound. Jade glanced at her apologetically and then leaned down to run her tongue over the wound. Tori sighed as the numb feeling eased her of anymore discomfort. Jade cleaned her up the best she could and then yanked off her shirt to tie it around the injury, leaving her in a black tank top. Tori dug in her pocket to hand Jade the keys that would release her. She freed herself and then she picked Tori up to cradle her in her arms, holding her close to her warm body. It was warmer than normal now that her internal flame grew with her renewed willpower.

"Let's get your Mother home," Tori told her. Jade nodded and jogged out of the cage. She walked out the door to see her Mother waiting for them. Guards lay scattered around her, unconscious but still alive. She had been keeping them back.

"Mother," Jade greeted her, a quality to her voice Tori had never heard before. The dragon bowed her head to nudge at Jade's cheek in a returned greeting. Being human, Tori wasn't able to fully feel the amount of love and magic being exchanged between the two but it was palpable enough that she could still detect it. She had learned a little from Kessler the few times the two were left alone but he insisted that she ask Jade personally if she wanted to learn more. At first she thought he was snubbing her because of what she had done, but he later revealed that he knew she had been acting and trusted she was doing the right thing all along.

The only reason he told her to ask Jade was to give them a reason to spend more time together once everything went according to plan, which he was sure it would. So far it had. Kessler had been unobtrusively keeping both of them from giving in. He had played his part and now both had the same idea to thank him. He should be given freedom to return to his world along with Jade's Mother. It was the best they could do. That, and destroying the machine as well as the half built one once more. Jade followed Tori's directions as they made their way to the machine's location. The big but slender dragon by their side kept the way clear for them.

"In there!" Tori yelled over the alarm, pointing to a door that led into a room with a wide display window. Kessler was already inside making minute changes to the many dials on the control board. Jade kicked the door in and ran over to a chair where she deposited Tori. Her Mother tore down half the wall to get in which wasn't hard after breaking the glass window that spanned most of it.

"It was about time you show up. How did the make-ups and confessions go?" the elf questioned smugly with a one sided smile. Jade grumbled and crossed her arms but Tori returned the smile.

"We got past it. Are you ready to start it up?" Tori answered. Kessler nodded, turned a few knobs, and then flipped a red switch. The machine sparked and then powered on with a crackle of electricity. The prongs shaping the front of the machine produced a portal that tore into reality to clear into a view of a world covered in green as far as the eye could see. Both Tori and Jade stared with wide eyes. Kessler made the portal larger and then stepped away from the controls.

"So, this is it," he announced. Jade nodded and then looked over to her Mother. She let out a sound that was almost like a rumbling whimper that Jade responded to with a smaller version of the same sound. Jade ran forward and hugged the wide chest of the great dragon. The impressive claw lifted to grip her back while the head bowed to get closer. Jade held her Mother under her jaw with trembling hands and pressed her forehead to the bridge of her snout.

"I'll miss you. You'll always be my Mother," she whispered, her tears falling on the soft scales. The dragon keened in reply and licked at Jade's face. She welcomed the warm and smooth tongue as it comforted her. Her internal flame flared and she let out an exhaled breath of green flame which met to mix with the matching green flame her Mother exhaled. The dragon lifted her head to look over at Tori who watched tearfully, touched by the scene. She raised her gaze to meet the beast's eyes and knew she was being called over. She joined them and stopped to stand in front of Jade with the dragon hovering over them both. She forced them to embrace with a firm and purposeful push of her head to both their backs. Jade grinned sheepishly but did as her Mother asked and held Tori in her arms.

Before they knew what was happening, the big claw gripped halfway down Jade's back, starting at her spine, and began dragging a path through flesh, tearing scales apart with a wound that hurt but pulsed with magic. She continued around the curve of Jade's side, dipping onto her front a little, and continued onto Tori's body, mirroring the same path to wrap around and stop in the middle of her back in the same place she started on Jade. The claw marks now matched up between them. It stung Tori far greater than Jade as she wasn't used to such injuries but also due to the magic binding her to the hybrid. She gripped Jade for support who gladly held her. The dragon then cleaned out the cuts with her tongue which allowed Tori to relax a little now that the pain dulled and the blood stopped. She nuzzled at Tori and Jade then stepped around them.

"The blessing of a mother dragon. She marked you two as mates, a symbol of your love that will never go away or be marked over by anything else. It's a ritual only the mother can establish. Its magic bound and far more meaningful than any ring, I assure you," Kessler spoke up. Jade and Tori looked down to eye the fresh cuts that lined up perfectly and then looked up to gaze at each other with a smile.

"May you overcome hardship and live well," Kessler said in farewell. He raised a hand and the two bond mates returned the gesture. He held out a hand to the control board which began to spark with purple energy. He jumped in the portal right after the great dragon, and a second later, it blinked out of existence. The machine began to smoke and flames sprouted. Jade scooped Tori up, tossed her over her shoulder, and ran as fast as she could. The explosion still knocked her off her feet. They tumbled to the ground, thankfully uninjured, and looked back to see that the whole wing was now in flames.

"Oh my gosh," Tori whispered in awe at the destruction.

"We have to get out of here before you're father shows up," Jade urged, standing up and then helping Tori to her feet. She nodded in agreement and Jade took her hand so that they could start running for the exit. The closer they got the less damage surrounded them and the more people were running around in a panic. No one stopped them as they were trying to get to safety too. Just as they passed a room full of cages containing all sorts of monstrosities, Jade was torn from Tori. The force upset their forward momentum, sending Tori stumbling to catch herself against the wall while Jade was forced to the floor. Trina held her there with a fierce growl and bared fangs.

"Trina?" Tori questioned in confusion.

"But, that would mean…" she continued, a shiver running down her spine in realization.

"That I would be here. Why yes, my dear daughter," the voice of David Vega finished as he entered the room. He looked calm and collected, eerily so. Tori knew that was a sign he was more than upset, he was murderous.

"Father," Tori gulped, her body trembling.

"You thought you could trick me?" he growled. He signaled to Trina who struck Jade across the face, gashing through her skin to narrowly miss her eyes. Jade snarled and shoved at the violent cat girl but Trina kept her down by stabbing her with elongated nails. Jade cried out and gripped Trina's wrist to stop her from sinking deeper. Trina grinned and held down Jade's other hand. Jade's tail whipped out to try and up-seat her but Trina slammed her clawed foot down to hold it firmly to the floor.

"Stop!" Tori pleaded with her father who only laughed and snapped his fingers. Trina swiftly pulled into a roll that tossed Jade into the air. She then leaped, grabbed Jade by the throat, slammed her to the ground, and stabbed into her twice more. Vega called her off then, leaving Jade to bleed out on the floor, gagging on her blood. Her body was full of ragged holes in her torso and her blood was spreading rapidly across the floor.

"Jade!" Tori sobbed, falling to her knees to crawl to the dying hybrid. She placed a hand on her cheek and gazed down at her. Jade's breathing was uneven and choppy but she managed to smile reassuringly back at Tori.

"Oh Jade," Tori whimpered, her tears falling to wash away the blood dripping from Jade's slack mouth gasping for air.

"This is what happens when you defy me child. This is what I'll continue to do if you  **ever** cross me again. Just like your mother, I'll wipe out anything and everything you care about," he threatened, stepping closer with every word.

"Fuck off you inconsiderate, cold-hearted, prick," Jade spat through the pain. Trina snarled and kicked her in the side. Jade clenched her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Trina, stop it!" Tori screamed at her. Trina looked away, avoiding her sister's pained expression. Vega just chuckled and stopped to stand behind Tori. He gripped her shoulders with tight, unforgiving, fingers. She cringed.

"Now Victoria, are you going to behave?" he questioned condescendingly. Among the fear and sadness Tori could feel anger, white hot and scorching. She was tired of getting kicked around. Trina had given in. She was broken, but Tori wouldn't allow her father to do the same to her.

"Fuck you," she ground out confidently in defiance.

"Excuse me?" he demanded. Tori shoved her father back, spun, gripped him by the wrist and easily snapped it. He howled in pain but she didn't stop. The magic that protected her now gave her the strength to incapacitate David Vega and leave him beaten and bloody on the ground. Tori stood over him, his blood smeared on her knuckles. Trina stood gaping in shock. She had never seen Tori so violent. When her younger sister turned around, Trina saw something foreign in her fierce brown eyes. The feeling that came over her was powerful, a force that she knew she didn't want to mess with no matter what her father ordered. Besides, she was free to leave now.

Trina stepped forward to try and speak to her sister who she barely knew, but Tori stepped away from her. Trina sighed and prepared to leave but the sight of their father getting to his feet behind Tori alerted her. He pulled the gun he hid at his belt and took aim at Tori who was unaware. Trina rushed forward, putting Tori in the defensive. Her agility managed to get her out of the way of Tori's attack to shove her aside. Vega pulled the trigger at that moment, the bullet grazing Trina's side. She twisted out of the way in time and knocked him over. A swift movement blocked by Trina's body made David Vega fall still. Tori jumped to her feet when Trina stood.

"Thank you, Tori. I hope the rest of your life turns out better than it started. Don't think I won't be keeping an eye on you though," Trina said, saluting her sister with two fingers raised and then darting for the exit. Tori watched her go, her heart weighing heavy. She always wanted to be close to her older sister but never got the chance because of her father who now lay dead upon the floor. Tori turned her attention to Jade who was still hanging on. She crouched next to her and brushed a puncture wound that was already starting to slowly heal.

"The bond," Jade mumbled quietly.

"What?" Tori asked, leaning closer to hear her better.

"I sent you my strength through the bond. I felt it and just knew what to do," Jade explained, laboring through the sentences.

"Shhh, don't strain yourself," Tori cautioned her. She touched Jade's cheek and felt a warm feeling cover her like a blanket. It was then she felt what Jade had. She concentrated on giving her the energy to heal and watched in giddy excitement as the holes marring Jade's body began to close rapidly. She laughed in tired relief and then swayed, falling over promptly after that. She was exhausted. She reached out for Jade and gripped her hand as her vision blurred. Familiar voices reached her but she was already falling under. Jade knew the voices that called for her but she was too weak to answer. Darkness swept them both away seconds later. Jade woke with a sharp jolt, jumping back into reality on high alert. When she looked around she quickly became completely confused.

"What the hell?" she whispered, seeing her room. That couldn't be right, could it? She was laying in her bed and wondering if everything that happened was just a very crazy, very vivid dream, but then she heard the sound of soft, steady breathing. She looked to her right to see Tori curled up on her side. Her brows furrowed and she whimpered, her hand searching for something. Jade gripped it in hers and Tori instantly fell silent. Jade smiled at her sleeping mate and squeezed her hand. Well, it wasn't a dream. If she was home then that meant her parents were safe. Her Mother was back home where she belonged and Kessler was too. The door opened at that moment and Jade quickly became defensive. The fight reflex hadn't ran its course yet, but as soon as she saw who came in, she relaxed.

"You aren't gonna give your old man a hug?" Gabriel West asked wearily, holding his arms out. He was covered in bruises and his head was bandaged but otherwise he was okay. Jade slid off the bed and ran to him. She threw her arms around him and squeezed him as tightly as she could without break anything. It felt like a lifetime ago since the last time she saw him. It came as a surprise to Gabriel when the unique rumbling purr came from the hybrid in his arms. She hadn't made that sound since she was in elementary school. He figured that all children hit that age where they weren't into cuddling with their parents anymore so he didn't think much of it, but clearly Jade missed him just as much as he missed her.

"Gabe? Is she up?" a feminine voice asked from outside the door.

"Come see for yourself," he responded, a smile in his voice as well as on his face. Jade pulled away from her father to glance over his shoulder. Elena stood there, bruised with a cast on her left arm. She hadn't fared as well as her husband. Both looked skinnier and aged from stress and abuse. It made Jade angry at David Vega all over again. At least he was stopped in the end.

"Jade, you're ok. I'm so glad," she greeted. Jade missed her smile and kind voice. She let go of her father and gave Elena a hug. When she pulled away they studied her.

"Goodness kid, I didn't think you could get any tougher but I was wrong. What did he do to you?" Gabriel remarked, a tinge of anger in his tone. Jade sighed and began telling them the events that separated them for years. She was hesitant to talk about the youngest Vega currently sleeping in her bed but it wasn't for any reason besides subconsciously protecting her. Yes, she was the daughter of the enemy, but Jade loved her and was prepared to fight them tooth and nail if they tried to separate her from Tori. They must have picked up on this because they had already begun to make plans to take in the girl. She was welcome in their family for saving Jade and having the courage to fight back against her father. Speaking of Victoria Vega, she brought their attention to her when she yawned and began to stretch. When she realized they were looking at her she blushed.

"Oh, um, where am I?" she asked, confused and shy.

"Our home," Jade answered her, sitting on the bed and taking her hand gently. Tori looked over at Gabriel and Elena who each watched her in a mix of curiosity and warmth. Their calm scrutiny of her made her uncomfortable but she had the distinct feeling that they approved of her.

"I-I should get going then," she stammered, getting off the bed in a rush. She didn't know where she would go but she still tried to leave. Jade chuckled and caught her by the wrist before she could go anywhere.

"Where are you going? This is your home too," she said, wrapping her arms around Tori's middle from behind while her chin rested on her shoulder comfortably.

"It is?" she asked, her voice a mixture of surprised, excited, and grateful.

"Mhm, if you want it to be," Jade confirmed. Tori turned in her arms and kissed her full on the mouth as an answer. Jade returned it before pulling back with a grin.

"We should keep it PG with my parents here," she whispered, brushing her nose under Tori's jaw before letting her go. Tori blushed again in embarrassment and looked over at the two parents who were smiling fondly at them.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. They all laughed at her apology and she felt even more mortified.

"Your first impression is going swell," Jade commented with playful sarcasm. Tori punched her arm and she mock flinched in pain.

"You are more than welcome here, Victoria. Plus, I don't think Jade would allow us to kick you out anyway," Gabriel joked, earning a smack to his arm from Elena similar to the reprimand Jade received from Tori moments ago.

"Never," Jade added, interlocking their fingers. She smiled and squeezed Jade's hand.

"Well, now that you two are up I imagine you're hungry," Elena spoke up. Jade's stomach grumbled at the mention of food and Tori giggled.

"You were always a bottomless pit. How did you survive without a constant intake of food? It must have been so hard," Gabriel teased his daughter.

"Hell, I think eating less actually helped me buff up a little more. I swear it killed off the last of any fat I had," Jade responded lightly. It amazed Tori that the West family was able to bounce back after such hard times. They were too close to act any differently than they did before everything happened. It was strange for Tori because her own family was destroyed beyond repair since her mother died. That's when everything went downhill, but now she was looking at a second chance. She wouldn't take it for granted. Jade continued to tease her parents all the way downstairs to the dining room. Gabriel set out the food and soon they were eating and engaged in small talk. Tori felt like she belonged for once. After dinner, Gabriel and Elena dismissed them and began making calls concerning the company while Jade and Tori cleaned up then returned to Jade's room to rest. After everything that had happened, they were both finally able to let their guard down completely without any fear of danger. They slept that night in each other's arms and would go on to be inseparable, rarely straying from each other's side.


	6. N D

**~Epilogue~**

It was a nice spring day, the sun was out and a breeze ruffled the leaves of the tree providing cover from the sun. Jade was lying under it, staring up at the sky while she laid spread out in the grass next to Tori who had her eyes closed. They were out back enjoying the lazy day together. Jade's tail occasionally curled contentedly to fall back across Tori's legs. The movement caused Tori to open her eyes and look over at Jade every time it happened.

"What?" Jade asked, finally noticing Tori staring at her.

"Every time I doze off you wake me up again," she grumbled. Jade smirked and curled her tail again. Tori rolled her eyes in response. In the year Tori had lived with the West family she had come to learn many things about Jade and vice versa. Jade learned what made Tori tick, and what ticked her off as well. She claimed Tori was hot when she was angry which gave Jade more of a reason to tease her. Tori took that as an excuse, a flattering one, but an excuse none the less. Tori waited for Jade's tail to fall back down and then moved her leg out of the way just in time. It fell to the grass where she placed her leg on top to hold it down. Jade frowned and wiggled her trapped tail but it wouldn't budge. It was Tori's turn to smirk now.

"You think you're so clever," Jade muttered, reaching over to poke Tori in the ribs. Her now blunt fingernail pulled a squeal from Tori as the action tickled her.

"Jade," she whined good-naturedly. Jade just smirked impishly. She crawled over to straddle Tori's waist and tickled her relentlessly. Tori let out shrieks of laughter and tried to fend off the playful hybrid by kicking her legs. Jade's now free tail effortlessly held one leg down which impaired Tori's struggling.

"You…cheater!" Tori gasped out between laughter. Jade laughed at Tori's helplessness a few seconds more and then stopped to let her breathe.

"I'm not cheating. It's not my fault I have a tail. You're just jealous," Jade replied.

"Yeah, sure, like I need a tail to win. I can beat you without it," Tori challenged.

"Sure you can," Jade responded sarcastically. Tori laughed brightly, the sound making Jade grin in admiration. She loved Tori's smile and laugh. Jade stared down at her, blue-green eyes suddenly intense. Tori's laughter died at the abrupt mood shift. She was lost in the look Jade was giving her. She felt Jade's tail relax on her leg before flicking upward against her calf slowly. Tori shivered and bit her lip lightly. Jade's eyes landed on them and then she began leaning down slowly. Their eyes locked before sliding closed altogether, their lips brushing tenderly. Jade moaned Tori's name against her lips and Tori shuddered at the tone of her husky voice. Tori pulled Jade down to kiss her hard, sucking on Jade's flexible tongue when it slid out to tangle with Tori's tongue in her mouth. The kiss heated up and became a little sloppy in their need to please.

Jade's hand dragged down Tori's side then slipped under her shirt to splay her slender fingers across Tori's toned abs and stomach. She had taken to working out and learning some fighting moves. Jade loved the definition it gave her already gorgeous body. She groaned when Tori's hands slipped down her back to grab at her ass. Jade pressed into her once and Tori's breath caught at the mounting pleasure. Jade broke the kiss to smirk devilishly at Tori who almost swooned at the expression. Jade was undeniably sexy; scales, tongue, teeth, and all. She hissed in pleasure when Tori squeezed again and dipped down to lick and pepper Tori's neck with kisses. Tori tilted her head back with a groan. The sound of someone traversing the springy grass made her eyes snap open. She relocated her hands to Jade's hard abdominal muscles and pushed at her, trying in vain to put space between them.

"Jade," she warned, but the hybrid was too busy, already getting carried away. Jade nipped at Tori's skin and she couldn't help but react to it, silently wanting more.

"Will I have to start carrying around a black censor square everywhere I go?" Gabriel questioned, stopping by Tori's head to stare down at them and make a box shape with his fingers for emphasis.

"Sorry," Tori apologized, her eyes widening when Jade nipped at her again.

"Yeah, sorry, or, whatever…" Jade's distracted reply came from her muffled position under Tori's chin. Tori looked up helplessly at the exasperated parent. He held a hand to his face and shook his head with closed eyes. Kessler had warned him that a dragon started their first cycle of going into heat around the time they hit full maturity. For the past month Jade had been in an insatiable state of arousal. Tori was only human, so the amount of pheromones Jade gave off did nothing but addle her brain. It was hard for her to get herself to stop, let alone Jade, but she managed as she was still the more clearheaded of the two.

Gabriel could only ask so much of her so he made her promise him nothing would happen until after Jade was fully mature, whether that was the day of or the next. Tori agreed but countered with the undeniable fact that Jade would want to take things further as a present. Gabriel and Elena exchanged a look between them but decided that it was inevitable so they relented. Tori of course didn't tell Jade she had this conversation with her parents, but Tori had a feeling she wouldn't have cared either way. Gabriel cleared his throat forcefully and Jade finally gave up trying to get lost in Tori because she looked up to glare at her father.

"Yeah?" she inquired, a bit impatient.

"Food is done. Get in here and have dinner so we can start movie night," he responded calmly. Jade groaned and buried her face in Tori's shoulder with a sigh. She eventually pushed off the ground to get to her feet and then pulled Tori up. She helped Tori brush off the grass from her back and Tori did the same for her while Gabriel returned inside now that his task was done. Jade sneakily watched him leave and then turned to Tori.

"Quick, he's gone," she whispered conspiratorially, desire evident in her tone.

"Ja-" Tori began to scold but Jade already backed her into the tree and trapped her there with her body. She growled possessively and pressed her hips into Tori's while her tongue tasted the sensitive skin of her throat with a drawn out lick. Tori squeezed her eyes closed and gripped at the front of Jade's shirt. A moan escaped her lips at the sensations blooming in her body when Jade slipped her firm thigh between Tori's legs. She rocked into her and Tori bit her tongue to stop from crying out.

"Jade, please, we shouldn't make them wait," Tori panted heavily.

"Why not?" Jade replied in a slow drawl, placing her hands on either side of Tori's head, her fingers digging into bark in an effort to release her sexual frustration.

"You know why not," Tori stated sternly. Jade could smell Tori's arousal and wanted nothing more than to skip dinner and head straight for dessert, but despite Tori's aroused state she still managed to scowl pointedly at Jade.

"Ugh, fine," Jade finally allowed, tearing down the bark before pushing off the tree. Tori watched her stomp back home and then sighed in relief.

"Another situation averted," she spoke to herself.

"Stop talking to yourself and get in here already!" Jade called to her from the back porch. Tori jumped to attention and jogged over to enter the house, Jade following behind her to shut the sliding door.

"Glad you could make it," Elena commented when they entered. Tori ducked her head shyly but Jade cracked a smile at the teasing. They took their usual seats; Gabriel at the head with Elena on the other side then Jade to his right and Tori to his left. It helped to keep them separated or else they wouldn't even get to eating. Of course, they were across from each other so they sometimes started a foot war under the table when there wasn't much to talk about. They were twenty four but that didn't mean they weren't kids at heart. They had a knack for bringing out the playful side of each other. They finally sat down to eat with conversation revolving around the break Gabriel had taken.

He wanted to get back to work, excluding the fighting for now, because he was bored of everyday ordinary tasks. Elena had taken another job too and was doing just fine but could see her husband could only stand so much of the mundane so she agreed to assist him once more whenever he decided to return to his work. Both Jade and Elena were surprised he lasted this long anyway. After everyone was full they cleaned up together and sat around the living room for movie night. Two movies later and Gabriel had fallen asleep on the couch while Elena had headed to bed after the first one. Jade was sprawled in the middle of the floor, watching the TV upside down.

Tori's body was half draped over her and half off her. She had used her body like a pillow and began to sink into her more and more the sleepier she got. Jade lifted herself on her elbows to watch Tori sleeping peacefully. She smiled and brushed a strand of her hair off her face. Tori grumbled something and then fell silent. Jade admired her a little longer and then she gracefully scooped Tori into her arms as she stood. She climbed the stairs to put her in bed and then returned to shut off the TV, the lights, and tidy anything else up along the way back to her room. When she stepped in she found Tori awake and standing outside on the balcony in nothing but a tank top and shorts.

Her long legs drew Jade's eyes downward where she then began to work her way up, passing over the half Latina's shapely behind, and up the planes of her back to stop at the exposed curve of her neck where it met her shoulder. Her hair was blown aside from the wind so that Jade had a side profile view of her face when Tori glanced back at her. Jade greeted her with a small smile and a simple wave. Tori grinned and looked back out towards the sky. Jade quietly shut the door behind her then pushed off it to wander over to Tori. She wrapped her arms around her waist and rested her forehead on Tori's shoulder. Jade breathed in her scent and then let it out in a long and drawn out exhale.

"Tired?" Tori questioned her. Jade snickered and kissed Tori's neck.

"Nope," she replied flatly. Tori tilted her head to the side with an amused smile.

"When are you ever?" she wondered.

"Never, nowadays. My father says it's because some dragon stuff, growing up, maturity, yada, yada," Jade mumbled carelessly.

"You should listen to what he has to say. It could be important," Tori advised. Jade chuckled in a seductive manner and began to trace patterns on Tori's bare hip where her skin was exposed due to the somewhat short shirt and shorts riding low on her waist.

"Sure, it was important all right. He told me to be careful because I was basically in some kind of dragon heat and wanted to mate," she whispered breathily in Tori's ear.

"Y-yeah, t-that's it…basically," Tori stammered, distracted by Jade's tongue which slithered out to run along her jaw.

"Oh? He told you too, huh?" Jade stopped to question. Tori only nodded and moaned at the feeling of Jade's hand slipping under her shirt and pressing her body flush against Tori's back at the same time. Her hand kept traveling higher until she was at her desired destination. Tori trembled at Jade's cool hand caressing her bare skin. She didn't wear a bra to bed and right about now Jade was thankful for that. Her hand worked diligently against Tori's extra sensitive skin, making her body arch into Jade, begging for more.

"Jade, ah, h-hold on. M-maybe we should wait for m-midnight. Oh god," Tori groaned, almost losing her ability to speak in the haze that clouded her head. Jade's other hand had run down to bring attention to Tori's lower half. Jade's hips stirred at the sounds Tori made. She rubbed at Tori through her now wet shorts and smirked when Tori bucked into her touch with a loud moan accompanying it.

"You still wanna wait?" Jade growled in her ear, her hand palming soft flesh squeezing with just enough to make Tori grit her teeth.

"Y-yes," she managed to say. Jade chuckled and shook her head.

"You don't sound so sure," she observed. Jade rubbed again and Tori hastily pulled free from Jade to separate them before she could give in.

"I'm sure. We wait until midnight. I promised your father," she stated certainly, taking heavy breaths between each choppy sentence. Jade groaned and ran her hand through her hair.

"But, I  **need** you. I want you so bad," she whined with a cute pout.

"You can wait," Tori assured her, averting her eyes. Jade circled her predatorily, eyeing her with a sly smirk.

"And if I can't?" she inquired, tone strained with her desire. It crashed against Tori and made her legs weak.

"You'll just have to," Tori answered, trying to remain strict. She turned away from Jade to go back in the room. Jade shut the double doors when she followed and then swiftly tackled Tori on the bed. She pinned her on her stomach and held her arms down by her wrists but leaned her weight on her elbows so that her body draped over Tori's to further entice her. Her legs tangled with the slim brunette's and her tail joined to curl around one of Tori's legs.

"Did you ever brush up on lizard mating rituals, Victoria? I realized that they're very much like dragons. Some males pursue a ready and willing female and hold her down to prove his strength," Jade began to recite. Her grip on Tori tightened and her hips rolled into her ass. Tori bit her lip in order to bite back a moan.

"I've caught you and now I want you. Please, Victoria," she implored. Her right hand released Tori's right wrist to slide down her arm to her shoulder, then her side, and then lower to tug at her shorts. When they were pulled down enough, Jade slipped her hand under Tori and into them. Her fingers found the wet heat and brushed her once. Tori let out a whimper and bucked into her exploring hand. Jade grinned, baring her sharp teeth. Her finger toyed with Tori a minute longer who was releasing the sexiest sounds in Jade's opinion.

Jade panted in Tori's ear and then bit into her shoulder just as she plunged two fingers into Tori's wet and welcoming heat. She cried out at the over-stimulation and started thrusting to match the rhythm Jade initiated. Jade's body began tensing and she almost came at the feel of Tori hitting her release under her. She cried out Jade's name which was muffled in the sheets. Her essence coated the room in her scent. Jade inhaled greedily and then started again, pumping in and out of Tori until she came a second time. Her body trembled and then became limp with exhaustion. Jade unlatched her jaw from Tori reluctantly and rolled off her. She laid down next to her instead.

"Geez Jade, I was so…I went through two…I'm tired," Tori breathed out softly with a sigh. Jade pulled her into her arms and kissed her cheek.

"You're welcome," she whispered smugly. Tori looked to her and then brought Jade into a lingering kiss. Tori's hands wandered to strip Jade of her clothes and then took care of her own once Jade was naked. She kissed up Jade's neck and then locked lips with her. Her hands explored Jade's luscious curves and smooth scales. Her hand fell lower and lower until she found what she was looking for. The smooth scales reached this area too where there should have been a patch of hair. Her fingers slipped lower to run through the wet heat waiting for her. That was at least the same. Jade groaned heavily and arched her back receptively. Tori's mouth descended on Jade's chest to suck and bite until she moved higher where she bit hard on Jade's shoulder. It didn't break skin like Jade had but it meant the same thing.

She had returned the violent act of claiming that made Jade growl with pleasure. Tori only then realized that Jade's tail had wrapped around her leg again and hadn't let go. She began pumping into Jade and added a few flicks of her thumb but her fingers only slipped into her three times when the last went deep and muscles clamped down on her hand. Tori was straddling Jade's leg so that when her hand was claimed by Jade's body she released her building arousal by grinding into Jade's thigh. Jade lifted it to press back into Tori and helped her gain friction. By now they were both panting and breathing heavily, Tori through her teeth which were still buried in Jade's shoulder. Tori grew curious and wiggled her fingers inside Jade, brushing her soft walls. The hybrid's reaction was to begin bucking and writhing.

"Just a little longer, Victoria. Ah, I'm almost there," Jade moaned, throwing her head back into the bed with a gasp. Tori recalled that lizards stayed stuck together for days mating while the male sometimes held the female down to assert dominance. Jade had done that to Tori but now the positions had switched. Tori still had her jaw latched on Jade and her fingers in her most private area, claiming her. Tori bit down harder and began rocking into Jade at a steady rhythm. Her build to climax made her subconsciously start driving into Jade again who snarled and rolled her hips up to meet Tori's ministrations. Her muscles clenched tighter with every moan, whimper, groan, and cry that fell from her lips. Jade rolled them over so that she was above Tori. Her left hand braced her body while the other plunged into Tori with wild abandon.

Jade grit her teeth and Tori bit harder, drawing blood when her human teeth finally pierced through the light scales. A tremor shook through Jade's body when she hit her release. It came hard and fast, tearing a strangled cry from her throat and making her body arch into Tori. Tori came again at the sound then shakily let Jade's shoulder go and slipped her now drenched hand out from between Jade's legs now that she could. Jade slid her fingers out of Tori and collapsed next to her while Tori flexed her hand which began to cramp from the pressure exerted on it. Her body felt like she was melting into the bed. She was worn out and exhausted but definitely satisfied. By the looks of it, Jade wasn't far behind. She lay on her side, breathing heavily. She didn't sweat but her body still glistened with Tori's sweat in the dim lighting.

"Do you…do you think they…" Tori tried to ask. Jade just laughed tiredly and nodded.

"Yeah…pretty sure they did," she answered, her voice barely audible. Tori shifted closer to her and wrapped the hybrid in her arms. Jade's limp tail had unwound from her leg after her release but now it affectionately curled around her leg again.

"We'll deal with that later though. I wanna sleep now," Jade mumbled, her eyes already starting to close.

"Yeah, night Jade," Tori said in agreement.

"Night," Jade replied almost incoherently. Tori kissed her forehead and then closed her eyes. It struck midnight by the time they were lost to sleep.

* * *

Gabriel and Elena hadn't heard a thing, but by morning, the evidence of the night's activities were still obvious in the form of the disheveled lovers wrapped around each other in a sensual embrace. They peeked in the door to see them still fast asleep and as naked as the day they were born. They closed the door quietly and Gabriel turned to Elena.

"I'm glad I was sleeping downstairs. Did you hear anything?" he questioned. Elena shook her head in reply.

"No, you know I'm a heavy sleeper," she reminded him.

"Lucky you," he muttered. Elena chuckled and patted her husband's arm as they went down for breakfast before she had to get ready and leave for work.

"So, Jade got her birthday present from Tori. I wonder if she'll still want ours after she finds out she might not need it," Gabriel contemplated.

"We'll just have to see," Elena responded with a shrug. She took out things to make pancakes and then got to work while Gabriel helped where he could without messing anything up. Meanwhile, Jade was guided out of sleep by the smell of food. She was starving after spending energy last night. The sun streamed into the room and bathed Tori in warmth. Jade marveled at her sunlit form and ran a loving hand down her side to stop at the markings that bound them. They were perfectly matched up last night. Tori grumbled and then rolled over to open one eye.

"I'm trying to sleep," she complained. Jade just smiled and smacked her butt once when Tori's eye fell shut again. She jumped back awake and glared at Jade with both eyes open this time.

"I smell breakfast," the dragon hybrid mentioned, cocking her head endearingly and reaching out to play with a strand of Tori's hair. She tucked it behind her ear and then brushed her cheek.

"I am sorta hungry," Tori murmured, leaning into Jade's touch.

"Then let's get washed up and throw something on so we can eat," Jade suggested. Tori groaned and fell over on her back.

"But I'm so tired," she whined. Jade just gathered her up and carried her to the bathroom. She set up the shower, held Tori up, and even washed her until she was able to do it on her own, which wasn't long. She briefly considered being lazy, because the feel of Jade's slick scales felt nice on her skin, but she tossed the idea in favor of truly wanting to eat. The longer they took the less chance of eating what was made. They got out of the shower and dried off together. Jade found some clothes for them, and they made their way downstairs. Gabriel greeted them with a wiggle of his brows which made Tori blush and Jade smirk. Elena rolled her eyes but greeted them with a simple 'good morning'. While they ate they didn't bring the topic up, Tori was glad, but they did hint at it when mentioning Jade's birthday present from them.

"You were spoiled and most likely given your gift early, but here's another anyway because who could resist spoiling someone with a face like that," Elena joked, placing her hands on either side of Jade's face and turning her head for the others to see her grumpy expression. Elena knew Jade despised baby talk and anything like it but that's why she did it. The other two laughed at her expense.

"Ok then, where is it?" Jade asked while gently pushing Elena way. She looked over at Gabriel and he nodded. She moved to pick up a small box from the counter and handed it to Jade. Tori watched with curiosity and her chin in her palm. Jade opened the box and looked in, her eyes widening in excitement.

"No way!" she exclaimed. She pulled out keys to a car.

"Didn't you mention your father teaching you to drive and getting you a license?" Tori asked her idly. She nodded enthusiastically and stood to rush out the door. The others followed her.

"Alright, which one is it?" she muttered while looking around the street.

"It could be that shiny new one with a green ribbon on it," Tori pointed out, slightly sarcastic. Jade looked at the sleek black car and then ran over to practically hug it.

"I've always wanted a car," she said with a smile, a lilt to her voice.

"I've always wanted to learn to drive in the first place," Tori added wistfully when she came to stand by Jade and examine the car.

"You mean, you don't know how to drive yet?" Jade questioned incredulously.

"My father always had a chauffeur and refused to let me drive so I never learned," she explained.

"It was probably to further keep you under his control," Jade growled. Tori shrugged.

"It's no big deal," she stated, unwilling to ruin the moment for Jade.

"It is a big deal, but whatever.  **I'll**  teach you," Jade volunteered. She unlocked the car, grabbed Tori's hand, and sat her in the passenger side seat. She then ran around to jump into the driver's seat.

"Just a quick test drive. We'll be back soon!" she shouted to her parents.

"Ok then, be safe," Gabriel advised. They both nodded and then Jade started up the car. It purred to life quietly. They drove down the road at a reasonable pace until they were well out of sight. That was when Jade punched it to see just how fast the car could go. Tori held on for dear life, afraid to do anything else, and hoped for the best. She had to remind herself to never get in a car with Jade, or, better yet, never let Jade drive again. Jade rolled down the windows and whooped ecstatically, completely letting go. Her antics brought a big smile to Tori's face and calmed her down somewhat. If Jade was happy who was she to bring her down? They drove almost all over the city and miraculously survived, plus no cops pulled them over. By the time they arrived back home it was getting late. Jade climbed out of the car with a smile but Tori swore she looked a little tired.

"Hey, you ok?" she asked, gripping Jade by the elbow. Jade nodded and placed a hand over Tori's to take her hand in hers.

"I'm fine, just a little tired," she responded, confirming what Tori already guessed.

"Ok then, let's head inside," Tori suggested. They entered, hand in hand, and headed right for their room. Gabriel and Elena were discussing something in the kitchen so they left them alone, deciding to greet them later. Gabriel had heard them come in anyway because he looked out to check, smiled at Tori who caught his eye, and then looked to Jade who was too busy focused on the stairs that would lead her to rest. Tori nodded to him, a silent promise that she would take care of Jade. He nodded back, concern in his gaze, but he trusted Tori so he returned to the discussion. Tori guided Jade up the stairs because she was starting to wear out further. Jade vaguely remembered feeling like this the night before she woke up with drastic changes, that being her tail and teeth. Now it was happening again and she had no idea what would be the effects that came of it this time. Jade collapsed in bed, the scent of her and Tori filling her nose. She smiled in content when Tori joined her.

"I could totally sleep right now," Jade commented. Tori looked over to her, noting that she didn't sound tired.

"Why don't you?" she inquired. Jade shrugged the best she could while laying down and then sat up to lean on her knees. She let out an agitated sound which made Tori sit up and start rubbing her back to try and comfort her.

"Jade?" she questioned hesitantly. Jade brushed back her hair and then closed her eyes. She froze for a whole minute and then her eyes snapped open. Her pupils were slits now.

"Come with me up on the roof?" she asked quietly.

"The roof?" Tori repeated with a quirked brow.

"Yeah, I used to go up there when I was upset or just wanted to be alone," Jade answered.

"Ok," Tori agreed. Jade stood and pulled Tori with her. They went out on the balcony and then Jade led her up the incline of the roof to sit at the small flat space above. Jade sat with one leg dangling and the other bent so that she could rest her chin on her knee. There was nothing but the sound of wind around them and the rustling of the trees. They watched the sun disappear over the horizon and then it was dark. Tori looked to Jade to ask what they were going to do now but Jade had already stood up. Tori watched her curiously, wondering what she was up to.

Jade turned and gazed out across the sky longingly. Birds flew by and Jade followed them. Tori suddenly felt an odd shift in energy. She moved to stand but Jade darted up to a higher perch on the roof. Tori wanted to follow but her balancing skills weren't nearly as advanced as Jade's were. Instead, she watched with bated breath to see what Jade would do. She stood effortlessly on the edge of the highest peak of the roof and spread her arms. The wind blew her hair back and she closed her eyes. She looked like she was at peace. Tori was mesmerized by her silhouette. Jade opened her eyes, looked ahead, and then ran to leap off the roof like a bird taking flight.

"Jade!" Tori screamed in fright, almost losing her footing and falling. She waited with her heart beating wildly in her chest but nothing stirred. She turned to run for Gabriel and Elena only to slip and tumble down the roof. When she was in mid-fall and wishing she had just stayed put, a force collided with her, yanking her back up and into the sky. The swooping feeling made her stomach tingle. She felt so free. The wind blew over her face and whipped past her hair. When she felt stable she finally opened her eyes to see she was  **f** **lying**.

"Holy sh-" she gasped only for a familiar chuckle to cut her off.

"I like when you talk dirty but I never thought you would ever say such a thing, Victoria," Jade teased from above her. She laughed when Tori began to stutter but no real words came out.

"Did you forget how to speak at all now?" Jade questioned next, glancing down at the shocked girl in her arms.

"W-we're  **flying**!" she squeaked out.

"Yes, it looks like it doesn't it?" Jade replied casually. Tori's mouth hung open at the possibility that they could actually be in the air and flying. Jade leaned close to Tori so that her mouth was by her ear.

"Or, maybe we're falling with style?" she suggested with a pointed playful quality. Tori's shock wore off to be replaced by giddy laughter when she realized what Jade said. She removed her shaky hands from their death grip on Jade's arms, which supported her around her middle, and held them out to mimic having wings. She whooped loudly, unafraid that they would be heard since they were so high up. Of course, the real wings that kept them suspended were barely heard as they manipulated the air around them. Tori looked up and to the side just in time to see the tip of a white wing.

The majestic and smooth looking addition matched the rest of Jade's scales and skin. Jade banked right to make a tight curve that brought them lower at a controlled rate. It was then Tori realized she was preparing to land on the roof again. They slowly descended, making it seem like they were going to crash, but at the last minute Jade pulled up so that her feet landed neatly on the solid surface. Tori's feet touched down safely in front of her. She turned in Jade's arms and wrapped her arms around the hybrid's neck. She loosened her hold enough so she could gaze into Jade's sparkling eyes.

"You watched Toy Story?" she questioned. Jade grinned and leaned in to rest her forehead on Tori's, her eyes locking with the joyful browns.

"Yeah, I watched a lot while you were out spending quality time with my parents," she admitted.

"So  **that's** what you were doing while we were gone!" she exclaimed. Jade nodded.

"Why didn't you just tell me? You kept avoiding it like it was bad," Tori said with a slight pout. Jade kissed the pout away.

"Because I wanted to surprise you. I have to say, it's harder to find a moment to be cheesy than I thought it would be. It took so long," Jade grumbled. Tori laughed at that and kissed Jade's nose.

"It isn't hard," she disagreed.

"It's easy for you to say. You're naturally cheesy," Jade responded factually.

"Hey!" Tori whined, smacking Jade's arm.

"What? You are! It's cute though so don't change, you hear me?" Jade insisted, her voice turning soft towards the end.

"Yeah, I'll try not to," Tori promised, bringing Jade closer so that she could grace her lips with a gentle kiss. When they parted they returned inside. They stepped into the room to see that Gabriel and Elena were waiting for them.

"Fascinating," Gabriel stated when his eyes took in Jade's wings. Right now they were folded neatly against her back. He strode over and motioned for her to extend one. She did so and he began examining them with great interest. In Tori's opinion they were eye catching, beautiful, and imposing yet they still complimented Jade. They weren't huge but they matched Jade's size.

"Kessler told me you might gain wings at full maturity like dragons do at that age, but he wasn't sure," Gabriel shared, running his hands over the thin but strong and sturdy membrane between the bones of the wing. Jade tensed and pulled her wing away to clamp it back in place behind her. Gabriel jumped in shock and looked to her with furrowed brows.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she demanded. He barked a laugh and patted her shoulder.

"Because, what if I told you and it didn't happen?" he replied. Jade thought about it with a cocked head and then sighed.

"Yeah, that would suck. It would be a total let down," she said with a single nod.

"Exactly," Gabriel agreed. Elena stood at that moment, getting everyone's attention.

"I came up to let you girls know that dinner is ready if you're hungry," she announced.

"When  **isn't** Jade hungry?" Tori teased. Jade glared at her but it wasn't harsh, just a half-assed kind of glare. She lightly pushed Tori who still fell over on the bed. Jade followed to tickle her until she was begging to be let go. Gabriel and Elena watched their interaction with identical smiles. They joined hands and left, letting the girls come down when they wanted. It might be a while anyway. After they left Jade stopped to give Tori a chance to breathe. She relaxed against her and rested her chin on her folded hands which were propped across Tori's stomach. Jade's body rested between Tori's legs with her own bent so that her feet were in the air. Her tail lazily slid back and forth over the sheets as her vivid eyes studied Tori.

"I'm actually not hungry this time for your information," Jade corrected her evenly. Tori propped herself up on her elbows to get a better look at Jade.

"Really? That's new," she commented. Jade just rolled her eyes. She pushed up on her hands and knees to crawl up Tori's body so that they were face to face.

"That shouldn't be so hard to believe when I have you pinned under me, helpless," Jade growled seductively. Her mouth began trailing kisses up Tori's neck to end at her jaw. Tori's breath hitched in excitement, her hands dragging down over Jade's back. They ran over the newly acquired wings and Jade shuddered, letting out a sound Tori hadn't heard from her yet. It sounded so submissive and light. It turned her on.

"Shit, that feels so good," Jade mumbled, dropping her head to rest on Tori's chest.

"They're that sensitive?" Tori remarked. Jade just nodded. For the first time Tori smiled as slyly and conniving as Jade.

"Well, it looks like I'm about to get an advantage over you," she stated happily yet her voice still lowered into a breathy, husky tone.

"It looks like you will," Jade agreed, her own tone sultry without any argument or complaint. Tori's hands kept brushing over her wings teasingly and she was too busy enjoying the sensations it gave her. Tori giggled and removed them to cup Jade's face. Jade groaned her complaint but it warped into a moan of pleasure when their mouths met. Their tongues began the well-known dance which easily spiraled into more. It was no surprise to Gabriel or Elena when Jade and Tori didn't show up for dinner. They only exchanged a look between them.

"She's  **your**  daughter," Elena jokingly pointed out. Gabriel just shrugged with a proud smile.

"That's right. That's my little girl," he replied. Elena laughed and shook her head. They went to bed after dinner and a few shows, careful not to focus too closely on the room across the hall when they did, but Jade and Tori had already finished and now lay happily worn out in each other's arms. Jade snuggled closer to Tori and kissed under her jaw.

"Love you," she mumbled, meaning it more than she could ever accurately express. Tori tightened her hold and kissed her forehead.

"I love you too," she stated, her bright smile widening while her eyes fluttered shut. She drifted off to sleep, leaving Jade with her thoughts. She pulled Tori closer and wrapped her tail around her leg then draped a wing over her bare body protectively like her Mother did to her. Only when she felt that every inch of Tori touched her did she let herself fall asleep. Life couldn't get any better than this.


End file.
